In March 7, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was their second meeting since the beginning of the Russian military operation in Ukraine. The main topic of conversation was the situation around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which has been under Russian control since the beginning of March 2022. Since then, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been shelling the territory of the station using drones, heavy artillery and multiple rocket launchers.
Before the meeting with Vladimir Putin, the head of the IAEA held a consultation with «Rosatom» Director General Alexei Likhachev. The head of the Russian company informed about the measures taken by the Russian side to ensure the safe operation of the Zaporizhia NPP, touched upon certain aspects of interaction with IAEA experts at the plant. In turn, Rafael Grossi informed the Russian side about the results of his trip to the Zaporizhia NPP on February 7, where he visited the engine room and the control panel of the fourth power unit, as well as energy and water supply facilities. He positively assessed the work of Russian specialists who are making every effort to stabilize the situation at the station.
Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with Rafael Grossi, said, «We continue to cooperate very actively with the IAEA, Russia continues to cooperate in many areas. We remain one of the undisputed leaders in this field in the world. We not only operate, but also actively develop nuclear energy and consider it an environmentally friendly type of energy. We are doing everything to improve security at nuclear facilities, and we are building on modern principles». The Russian President also said, «We are building new power plants based on modern principles: Kursk Nuclear Power Plant-2 with fast neutrons. We are building small stations and developing a nuclear fleet. We have installed a floating nuclear power plant of small capacity in the North. All this is in great demand not only in our country, but also in demand by the economy and energy sector of the whole world. And we are ready to share our best practices with all our interested partners».
Noting that the authorities of the Russian Federation appreciate the work of the IAEA to ensure the safety and compliance with nuclear energy safety standards around the world, Vladimir Putin said that the Russian side is ready to continue cooperation with the agency «in all these areas», and he is open to discussing «any issues».
In turn, Rafael Grossi stressed at the meeting that Russia has a leading role in the development of nuclear energy: «At every meeting with the head of «Rosatom», we discuss the development of nuclear technologies, including fast neutron reactors and small modular reactors. Nuclear energy requires good international cooperation, especially in terms of new technologies, and Russia’s role as the world’s number one supplier of nuclear technologies is difficult to overestimate».
