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Today’s highlights: CCP secretly builds “Valkyrie Witch” for Russian army; Ukrainian ambassador makes a big mistake and falls out with Trump; Zelensky receives mysterious weapons, accuses CCP of ill intentions. Argentine President Mile criticizes the UN, Musk stirs up the biggest gossip.
The United Nations General Assembly has been ongoing for several days. Although everyone knows that like numerous previous meetings, it is unlikely to yield concrete results, it provides an opportunity for world leaders to gather, exchange ideas, and negotiate in a small scope. The real achievements usually happen outside the UN General Assembly.
For example, Ukrainian President Zelensky has made good use of this platform to meet with multiple world leaders privately in a short period of time, gaining more support in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Some meetings were so confidential that even the translators were asked to leave, such as the closed-door meeting between Zelensky and German Chancellor Scholz where Zelensky mysteriously produced a document and said, “Look at this, you will only see this plan tomorrow, Scholz.”
Zelensky’s visit to the UN has been fruitful; even before officially meeting with Biden, Ukraine has already received a significant amount of military assistance from the US.
On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced providing $375 million in military aid to Ukraine, including “Harpoon” precision-guided rocket ammunition, cluster munitions, and light tactical vehicles. The most eye-catching part not in the announcement was the provision of AGM-154 precision-guided glide bombs with a range of 130 kilometers, called “offshore weapons,” to be carried and dropped by F-16 fighters for long-distance strikes. This funding was utilized through the so-called “presidential access,” bypassing the need for approval from the US Congress, allowing Biden to directly access weapons from the US military arsenal.
The US government also announced another “Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative,” providing Ukraine with $24 billion in aid to allow the US government to purchase weapons for Ukraine instead of using weapons directly from the US arsenal.
After meeting with Zelensky on September 26, Biden announced an additional $5.5 billion in new aid to provide Ukraine with additional “air defense, drone systems, and air-to-ground munitions.” This adds up to over $8 billion in aid to Ukraine. However, Biden did not formally announce lifting the restriction on Ukraine using US weapons for long-range strikes on Russian soil.
At the UN General Assembly, Zelensky surprised many by openly naming and condemning China and Brazil for aiding Putin without directly pointing fingers at other countries apart from Russia as he had done previously.
Zelensky stated on Wednesday, “When someone offers alternative plans, half-hearted solutions, so-called principles, not only does it ignore the interests and suffering of Ukraine… it not only ignores reality but also gives Putin political space to continue the war.” He directly criticized China and Brazil, saying, “You cannot strengthen your own power at the cost of sacrificing Ukraine.” He further pointed out historical conspiracies where major powers sacrificed smaller nations.
The recent actions and statements of Zelensky and the Ukrainian ambassador to the US have drawn strong disapproval from Trump and the Republican Party, causing a cancellation of a possible meeting between Zelensky and Trump.
The situation unfolded as follows: Zelensky’s first stop in the US was at a military factory in Pennsylvania providing ammunition to Ukraine. Although initially there were no issues with this visit, it appears that the perspective and involvement of political figures differ from that of the general public.
In a photo, Marica Loveckarova, the Ukrainian ambassador to the US, was seen accompanying Zelensky during the visit to the factory. The Republican Party criticized her for inviting only a “senior representative of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary’s campaign” while excluding any local Republicans, especially in a crucial swing state like Pennsylvania.
House Speaker Johnson accused Loveckarova of orchestrating an event in a competitive swing state aimed at helping the Democrats’ election campaign, calling it an interference in the US election. The speaker suggested that Loveckarova should be immediately dismissed for her deliberate political actions that have made Republicans lose trust in her diplomatic capabilities.
He emphasized that no country should interfere in US domestic politics, as both parties support Ukraine against Russia.
Fairly speaking, if Zelensky had not considered the sensitive angle of the US election, there is a definite lapse in the responsibilities of the Ukrainian ambassador in the US to overlook such a factor, especially with the election just 40 days away. Zelensky’s interview with a left-leaning media outlet, “The New Yorker,” provoked Trump by openly criticizing his ability to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict and labelling his running mate as overly radical.
Zelensky’s criticism and the ambassador’s actions in the US resulted in Trump and his campaign team canceling a planned meeting with Zelensky.
Many incidents that seem trivial to the general public can escalate, becoming significant in the political arena. It is vital to analyze both Zelensky and Trump’s actions in this context objectively. Zelensky, as a wartime president, should refrain from commenting on any side before the US election, as even a simple remark could be interpreted as taking a stance in the US political landscape, creating an unpredictable factor for Ukraine’s future. Wasn’t it better to direct dissatisfaction solely towards China, the true instigator behind Ukraine’s suffering and conflicts?
As for Trump, the emphasis should be on gaining support from moderate voters at present. Reacting aggressively based on comments from a non-competitive opponent could potentially sway the undecided US voters. What are your thoughts on this matter?
During the UN General Assembly, another spotlight figure, referred to as the “Argentine Trump,” President Mile of Argentina, received attention. Mile has surprised many with his successful economic policies, even amidst initial skepticism and expectations of failure upon taking office.
President Mile seized the UN podium, criticizing the UN and its socialist agenda, earning him the title of the brave speaker at the UN in nearly 80 years. He condemned the authoritarian regimes of Cuba and Venezuela being accepted into the Human Rights Council without criticism and their systematic voting against Israel, the only democratic country protecting freedom and democracy in the Middle East.
Mile denounced the UN for promoting a socialist global government agenda through its so-called 2030 agenda, suggesting that the solutions proposed invade national sovereignty and infringe upon people’s rights, freedoms, and property. He accused the UN of committing crimes against humanity by implementing the lockdown policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
President Mile’s speech at the UN was already a diplomatic effort, as he had criticized the socialist system in his country before going to the UN. His fiery speech at home showcases his bravery and resilience.
During the UN Assembly, one of the happiest individuals seemed to be Musk, who was seen frequently giving thumbs up gestures. Musk became the center of gossip during the UN meeting. The media observed his interactions with Italian Prime Minister Meloni, hinting at some affinity between the two. Meloni is known for expressing her opinions openly; she exhibits a serious demeanor when not impressed, but appears cordial and welcoming when meeting someone she admires.
Prime Minister Meloni received the “Global Citizen Award” from the Atlantic Council and requested Musk to introduce her personally at the banquet. Musk complimented her saying, “Her inner beauty surpasses her exterior.” Their photos flooded the internet, with even Politico, a US political news outlet, indulging in gossip about their interactions, describing the atmosphere as filled with love. Musk had to respond, clarifying that he was at the banquet with his mother, denying any romantic involvement with Prime Minister Meloni.
During the UN General Assembly, Reuters reported a shocking revelation that Russia had initiated a secret project in China to produce long-range drones for the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This revelation left Western countries, suspecting CCP’s covert support to the Russian military, astonished.
On September 25th, Reuters published an exclusive report based on a Russian government document indicating that a Russian state-owned weapons company, Almaz-Antey, had established a company in China under direct support from the CCP to develop and test a new type of drone named “Valkyrie Witch.” This document was submitted by the company to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The documents reveal that this Russian company in China is mass-producing various types of drones, including the “Valkyrie Witch,” for “special military operations” in Ukraine. Additionally, two documents confirm that Russia has received at least seven Chinese military drones, including two “Valkyrie Witches,” designed to carry 50 kilograms of explosives with a range of 2000 kilometers. Military experts suggest that these long-range drones could potentially be used as weapons against Ukrainian nuclear power stations.
Previously, Western nations thought that China only supplied weapon components to Russia. However, this new intelligence suggests direct Chinese involvement in producing and updating military drones for the Russian military. Once confirmed, this could lead to a rift between Ukraine and China, prompting the US and NATO to impose comprehensive sanctions on China.
That wraps up this edition of “Current Affairs Scan.” We appreciate your support; please subscribe to our channel, like, comment, and share. Your financial support is also highly appreciated. See you next time.
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