Russia will not hand over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), which was captured at the beginning of the invasion in 2022, to Ukraine, stated the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry called media reports on this matter, including those suggesting that the countries could establish "joint control" over the facility or transfer it to the United States, "speculation."
"The return of the plant to Russia's nuclear industry is a long-established fact that the international community must simply recognize. The transfer of the ZNPP or control over it to Ukraine or any other country is impossible," emphasized the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry noted that there are no precedents for joint operation of nuclear power plants in global practice. The ministry considers such an option unacceptable, as it would not allow for "proper nuclear and physical safety and the regulation of civil liability for nuclear damage."
"An important aspect is that the close cooperation of NATO countries with significant diversion potential, along with Ukraine, makes it impossible for representatives of these countries to access the ZNPP, even temporarily," said the Ministry. The ministry also called the idea of international organizations participating in the operation of the station "absurd," as none of them have the "mandate or competence" to do so.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the fate of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant with U.S. President Donald Trump. He emphasized that the plant must be returned, otherwise, it will not function. Before the war, it accounted for about 20% of Ukraine's electricity production.
"No one will provide electricity to the Russians... This is our plant. It will not work without us, and it will not work for them," said Zelensky.
According to him, restoring the ZNPP will require significant resources and could take up to 2.5 years.
"Trump asked if we could work together on this issue. I said yes, if you invest in modernization. Yes, if you help us return the plant," added the president. Trump himself mentioned that he proposed to Zelensky that the U.S. take control of Ukrainian power plants, including the ZNPP, calling it "the best protection" for the country's energy infrastructure.
Zaporizhzhia NPP is Europe's largest nuclear power plant. It was occupied by Russian troops at the very beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. The plant has not been generating electricity since September 11, 2022: all six reactors are in cold shutdown mode.
After the annexation of part of the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian President Vladimir Putin placed the plant under the control of Rosenergoatom. Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of preparing provocations at the ZNPP. Experts from the IAEA are also present at the plant. The agency suggested creating a demilitarized zone around the facility, but Russia opposed it, and the idea had to be abandoned.
In late June 2024, the IAEA reported that one of the radiation monitoring stations near the ZNPP was destroyed due to shelling and a fire. After that, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution on the protection of Ukraine's nuclear facilities and the deoccupation of the ZNPP. The document was supported by 99 countries, with eight countries voting against: Belarus, Burundi, Cuba, Eritrea, North Korea, Mali, Nicaragua, and Syria.
