MOSCOW, December 17. /TASS/. Direct trilateral talks of Moscow, Kiev and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about a protection zone around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (NPP) are impossible due to the present-day state of Russian-Ukrainian relations, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Mikhail Ulyanov has told TASS in an interview.

"Of course, progress on the issue could have been faster if trilateral talks were held, but this is impossible due to the current state of Russian-Ukrainian relations," he said. "That is why [IAEA Director-General] Rafael Grossi has to engage in ‘shuttle diplomacy,’ communicating with Russia and Ukraine in turns," the diplomat said.

However, chances of reaching an agreement about a protection zone around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (NPP) still remain, but it would be too early to say that the deal is close at hand, Ulyanov continued.

"Last Monday, a meeting between the IAEA director-general and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal was held in Paris. As far as we know, this topic was discussed in detail during the talks. Therefore, the process continues and there are chances of reaching an agreement," he said.

"At the same time, it would be too early to say that we are approaching an agreement. And I would not make any forecasts on when the negotiation process may be completed," Ulyanov added.

With the output of 6 GW, the Zaporozhye NPP in the city of Energodar is Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. Russian forces took control of the plant in March 2022 and ever since, the Ukrainian army has been periodically shelling its territory, as well as Energodar’s residential quarters with the use of drones, heavy artillery and multiple rocket launchers.

Grossi has repeatedly called for the establishment of a security zone around the Zaporozhye NPP. In September, the IAEA Board of Governors passed a resolution calling on Russia to withdraw its forces from the plant’s territory. On December 2, the official told an international conference in Rome that an agreement on the issue may be reached soon. CEO of Russia’s Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation Alexey Likhachev said earlier that the safety model that was being discussed with Grossi rules out any kind of shelling of the power plant.