Ukraine and the US may create joint projects at Zaporizhzhia NPP
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Ukraine's Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said that the United States and Ukraine have a common interest in returning Zaporizhzhia NPP under Ukrainian control. In particular, it is about launching its full-fledged operation to implement joint energy projects as part of the country's reconstruction.
He said this during a speech at the Atlantic Council, according to Ukrinform.
Why the United States may be interested in rebuilding and returning ZNPP to Ukraine's control
Halushchenko answered a question about US President Donald Trump's idea of joint ownership of ZNPP. The minister emphasized that the plant has the potential to become a source of electricity exports, as well as projects that can be implemented together with the United States, including in the context of Ukraine's post-war recovery.
At the same time, the official stressed that the situation with the Zaporizhzhia NPP under the control of the Russian Federation is unacceptable. If the world does not give a clear response to the seizure of Europe's largest nuclear power plant, it will undermine confidence in the safety of nuclear energy as such.
"If we allow the Russians to keep control of Zaporizhzhia NPP, even without resuming its operation, it will be a total disaster for everything the world has achieved in the development of the peaceful atom. We are now talking about a certain renaissance of the nuclear industry, but no one will be able to afford to invest in nuclear energy. If one country can seize and occupy Europe's largest nuclear power plant by force and maintain control over it even when the war is over... We must show that it is impossible to illegally seize any nuclear facility, large or small, by force," Ukraine's Energy Minister said.
Russia regularly endangers nuclear facilities in Ukraine
Halushchenko also expressed particular concern about Russia's ongoing attacks on energy infrastructure, in particular on substations that support nuclear facilities. According to him, since August last year, more than 150 cases of missiles and drones flying over or near nuclear power plants have been recorded.
The Energy Minister also recalled the recent drone attack on the Chernobyl NPP Shelter and systematic attacks on substations that serve operating nuclear power plants.
"This is the message that we are constantly putting in the IAEA draft resolutions and asking their experts to visit these substations. Because if we have an emergency shutdown of an operating unit, according to the Fukushima scenario, it is only one step to an accident, only one step to a nuclear incident. Such actions are absolutely contrary to all nuclear safety standards," said Halushchenko.
According to Halushchenko, Ukraine continues to inform the IAEA about these threats and calls on the international community to put pressure on Russia to ensure nuclear safety in the region.
In his turn, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi estimated how long the restoration of Zaporizhzhia NPP will take and what specific work needs to be done.
Also, the first details of peace negotiations in Paris were disclosed by Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, on April 17.
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