The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the safety of Ukraineʼs nuclear facilities

Author:
Oleksandra Opanasenko
Date:

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the safety and security of Ukrainian nuclear facilities, in particular the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant occupied by the Russians, which was initiated by Ukraine.

This was announced by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The UN website states that the resolution was supported by 99 votes. Belarus, Burundi, Cuba, North Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria were against. Another 60 UN member states abstained.

The resolution demands that Russia urgently withdraw its military and other unauthorized personnel from the Zaporizhzhia NPP and immediately return the plant to the full control of Ukraine. Zelenskyy calls this an "important step" on the way to restoring respect for the UN Charter and international law.

The vote of the General Assembly is a continuation of the discussions and decisions made at the first Peace Summit, where the discussion of the first point of the Ukrainian peace formula on nuclear safety was one of the key issues.

"I thank all our partners for their help in restoring security in all areas that were destroyed by Russian aggression. Working together, we are able to protect the fundamental norms of international law and common values," Zelenskyy said.

The ZNPP was occupied by the Russian military at the beginning of March 2022 and has been operating under their control since then. The station was completely disconnected from the power grid several times. From September 2022, the IAEA mission is stationed at the station. Ukraine insists on the withdrawal of the Russian occupiers from the station. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasizes that while Russian soldiers are at the ZNPP, "the world remains on the brink of a nuclear disaster." Russia refuses to create a demilitarized zone at the ZNPP.

What is the Ukrainian peace formula

On November 15, 2022, in a speech to the participants of the G20 summit in Bali, Zelenskyy presented the Ukrainian peace formula. Here is what it provides:

  • radiation and nuclear safety with an emphasis on restoring safety around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe;
  • food security, in particular the protection and provision of Ukrainian grain exports to the worldʼs poorest countries;
  • energy security with an emphasis on price restrictions on Russian energy resources, as well as assistance to Ukraine in restoring its energy infrastructure;
  • release of all prisoners of war and deportees, including prisoners of war and children deported to Russia;
  • restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and confirmation of its borders by Russia in accordance with the UN Charter, which, according to Zelenskyy, is "non-negotiable";
  • withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities, restoration of Ukraineʼs state border with Russia;
  • justice and fairness, including the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes;
  • prevention of ecocide — the need to protect the environment with an emphasis on demining and restoration of water treatment facilities;
  • preventing the escalation of the conflict and building a security architecture in the Euro-Atlantic space, including security guarantees for Ukraine;
  • confirmation of the end of the war, including a document signed by all parties involved.