UN security council meets over Ukraine as Russia and Belarus hold nuclear drills – Europe live

The UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting on May 25, 2023, called by multiple European nations and Liberia, to address the escalating situation in Ukraine. This urgent session followed a fresh wave of brutal Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, significantly intensifying the conflict. Concurrently, Russia and Belarus commenced joint drills involving tactical nuclear weapons, a move seen as a direct escalation and a provocative signal to Western powers. These developments coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin visit to China, where he met with President Xi Jinping to discuss strategic partnerships. This confluence of events signals a critical juncture in the Ukraine War, demonstrating Moscow's sustained resolve to escalate and its deepening strategic alignment with Beijing, challenging the existing unipolar world order. The nuclear drills, while declared defensive, heighten global anxieties about the potential for miscalculation and further destabilization, impacting global energy markets and food security. The coordinated diplomatic and military actions underscore a hardening geopolitical divide, with profound implications for international peace and security and the future of global alliances.