During his working visit to Vienna, where the IAEA Board of Governors meeting is taking place, Ukraine’s Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko held a meeting with the ambassadors of the G7 countries.
The parties discussed critical issues of nuclear and radiation safety against the backdrop of ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Special attention was given to the recent unauthorized rotation of IAEA experts at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which took place under pressure and blackmail from Russia.
“The rotation of IAEA experts at ZNPP must occur exclusively with the approval of the Ukrainian authorities and in full respect of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Any actions contrary to this violate international law and national legislation,” he emphasized.
Herman Halushchenko also informed the ambassadors about the situation at other Ukrainian nuclear power plants and the threats posed by enemy attacks in close proximity to nuclear facilities.
The parties separately discussed the unprecedented Russian drone attack on the confinement structure of the Chornobyl NPP and the risks it poses. The minister presented the diplomats with fragments of a Russian Geran-2 drone as material evidence of the attack.
During the meeting, Halushchenko underscored the need for continued support from the G7 countries and the entire international community to ensure nuclear and radiation safety in Ukraine and the region. He also called for increased pressure on Russia to stop its aggression against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
