ISTANBUL

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi on Tuesday reaffirmed the agency’s support for Kyiv during his official visit to the war-torn country.

“Began my 12th visit to Ukraine since Feb 2022, reaffirming @IAEAorg’s support for the country,” Grossi said in a statement on X after a meeting with Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.

Expressing that he shared how the IAEA will help Kyiv rebuild its energy infrastructure with the Ukrainian minister, Grossi said the discussions included new units at the country’s Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant, repairs at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and substation assessments.

Grossi later wrote on X that he also held talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha in Kyiv and that they agreed on the importance of the IAEA’s support for nuclear safety and security in the country.

The IAEA chief went on to say that they also agreed on the importance of the agency’s presence at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest and one of the world’s 10 biggest, which has been under Russian control since March 2022.

IAEA personnel have been present at the facility since Sept. 1, 2022, though the situation around it remains tense as concerns persist over a possible nuclear disaster involving Moscow and Kyiv, both of which have frequently accused each other of attacks around the facility.

“Only a licensed Ukrainian operator can ensure compliance with safety standards at a nuclear facility. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant must be deoccupied and returned under the full and sovereign control of Ukraine,” Halushchenko said on X after his meeting with Grossi.

In the evening, Grossi also held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which the latter said they addressed the issue of security at all nuclear facilities in Ukraine.

"Any ideas from Russia about restarting the Zaporizhzhia NPP without Ukraine are absurd and dangerous. That is why the IAEA must be at the plant without artificial obstacles to their work or staff rotation," Zelenskyy said on X following the meeting.

The Ukrainian president added that they also discussed the development of his country's energy sector, thanking Grossi for "his support and willingness to help."