GRossi indicated that during his next visit he also intends to visit Kyiv, the country’s capital, to discuss the ways in which the UN organization “can contribute to improving nuclear security” in the region.

The IAEA leader highlighted, in an interview with the Ukrainian agency Ukrinform, that the needs surrounding the plant are urgent and stressed the importance of “not registering any attacks against the infrastructure or surrounding area”.

“We hope this doesn’t happen at any time”, he stressed.

The Argentine diplomat recalled that the factory “is occupied” but belongs to Ukraine.

“The fact is, now that they are there [os russos], they are the ones who make operational decisions. What we look for are solutions from a technical point of view,” he explained.

Grossi highlighted, on the other hand, that the sanctions imposed against the Russian nuclear company Rosatom could have “negative consequences in the field of nuclear safety”.

“Rosatom is a company that has a significant presence in several countries around the world. Therefore, it is possible that even the appropriate imposition of sanctions against Rosatom could have negative consequences in terms of nuclear safety, as it supplies fuel and provides services in many countries”, he analyzed.

Furthermore, he highlighted that it is the main supplier of nuclear reactors in the world. The Russian state itself has defended cooperation in the field of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, something that should “be free from political considerations”.

“They build nuclear power plants in many countries around the world, so it is not easy for these customers to withdraw. That is why countries are not imposing sanctions against Rosatom. They can publicly condemn Russia, but when it comes to nuclear industry, do not ask for sanctions because they need reactors for their economies”, he further highlighted.

“Russian industry is very active in many countries, including the United States. They export uranium fuel to many European countries. There are many reactors that depend on nuclear technology or parts and components from Russia. This creates a situation that is problematic,” he added.

Grossi considered that it is not surprising that there are no sanctions in this area, despite the very clear political position of countries such as the United States or France on the subject.

“Once again, this is where nuclear sanctions differ from those in other industries: because you cannot ‘pull the plug’ as quickly as in other sectors,” he highlighted.

IAEA experts have been present at the nuclear plant — the largest in Europe — since September 2022, seven months after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The last rotation of observers for the agency’s mission took place last Thursday.

Read Also: IAEA says Zaporizhia nuclear plant is in a “serious situation”

Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/2583275/lider-da-aiea-visita-central-de-zaporijia-para-abordar-seguranca

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