WSJ: US mulls neutral zone around Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant under its oversight

The United States is reportedly exploring the possibility of establishing a neutral zone around the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in southern Ukraine, with Washington assuming control over the area.

The article does not specify which territories surrounding the ZNPP would be included in the proposed neutral zone, nor does it clarify the nature or mechanism of potential US oversight, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Wall Street Journal. 

It also remains unclear who would be entrusted with the plant’s day-to-day operations should such a plan be implemented.

The Zaporozhye facility, located in the Russian-controlled city of Energodar, houses six nuclear reactors and is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, with a total capacity of 6 gigawatts. Russian forces seized the site in late February 2022, shortly after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.

Since then, Ukrainian forces have repeatedly targeted the area with drones, artillery, and rocket strikes, according to Russian accounts. All six reactor units are currently in a state of cold shutdown, meaning they are not producing electricity.

Plant personnel continue to maintain safety protocols under the supervision of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), with radiation and nuclear safety measures said to be in place.

In June 2024, during a meeting with senior officials from the Russian Foreign Ministry, President Vladimir Putin reiterated Moscow’s readiness to negotiate a settlement to the conflict. However, he said any agreement must include recognition of Crimea, Sevastopol, and the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, as part of the Russian Federation.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has since underscored that control of the Zaporozhye plant would not be handed over to Ukraine or any other party.

By Aghakazim Guliyev