Zelensky: Ukraine to support IAEA's proposal to create security protection zone at ZNPP if it's about demilitarization of the plant

KYIV. Sept 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine will support the proposal of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to create the Nuclear Safety and Security Protection Zone (NSSPZ) at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant (NPP), if, at the same time, it is all about demilitarization of the facility, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"As for IAEA Director General Grossi’s proposal to create the protection zone at the plant, we need to look at the specific content of such an instrument: what exactly can be the protection? If the content of this proposal is to demilitarize the territory of the nuclear power plant – and this is logical, as it was the Russian military presence that put the Zaporizhia plant on the brink of a radiation disaster – then we can support such a demilitarized protection zone," Zelensky said in a video address.

He called it a "good signal" that the final report of the IAEA mission after the visit to the NPP noted the presence of Russian military equipment on the territory of the plant, also emphasized the pressure on Ukrainian nuclear scientists from the Russian military and there are clear references to the Russian military occupation.

At the same time, according to him, it is felt that modern international organizations need much broader mandate for their actions.

"I believe that modern international organizations need a much broader mandate for their actions. I believe that the world not only deserves, but also needs the representatives of the IAEA to force Russia to demilitarize the territory of the NPP and return full control to Ukraine. If Russia puts the world on the brink of a radiation disaster, the world must have adequate means to put Russia in the conditions where the terrorist state will be forced to stop the terror," the president said.