IAEA chief meets with Ukrainian president ahead of visit to Zaporizhzhya NPP

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv before traveling to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

The meeting, which Grossi discussed with journalists, also covered the situation at the Kursk nuclear power plant in Russia, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Grossi described the situation at the NPP as "very fragile" but refrained from drawing direct comparisons with the conditions at Kursk. 

The discussions between Grossi and Zelenskyy focused on the current status and challenges facing Ukraine's nuclear infrastructure amid the ongoing conflict. The visit to the NPP aims to assess the situation on the ground and enhance international oversight of nuclear safety in the region.

Grossi's focus was on the significant damage caused by a fire at one of its cooling towers in early August, he also visited a water pumping station and a storage facility for fresh fuel rods. 

Director General Grossi has repeatedly said any military action taken against the Zaporizhzhya plant increases the risk of a nuclear accident and is a clear violation of the five concrete principles for protecting the facility, established at the United Nations Security Council in May 2023.