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IAEA chief insists on establishment of protection zone around ZNPP as situation worsens

The IAEA emphasized that he needed the political will to establish the zone. Many European leaders have manifested their support for the idea, Rafael Grossi said

NEW YORK, January 20. /TASS/. Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi told Fox News that it was necessary to set a protection zone around the Zaporozhye nuclear powerplant as he said the situation there was getting worse.

"What I see is that the situation around the Zaporozhye [nuclear power plant] is getting worse with the evolution of the conflict. <…> You know that the eastern front is heating up. So, I believe that the establishment of some interim measure of protection of the nuclear site is even more necessary and urgent than it ever was," he said on Thursday.

Grossi said he was very anxious to see that he was not getting there as fast as he was expecting. The IAEA emphasized that he needed the political will to establish the zone. Many European leaders have manifested their support for the idea, he added.

An IAEA mission led by Grossi visited the nuclear power plant in early September. After the delegation left the site, the agency’s staff remained there as observers. Later, the IAEA published a report calling for the creation of a safety zone around the plant to prevent emergencies due to hostilities.

To discuss the project, Grossi has held negotiations with Russian and Ukrainian officials. On October 11, he visited St. Petersburg for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On December 2, 2022, the IAEA’s Grossi said, addressing the Mediterranean Dialogues international conference in Rome, that an agreement on establishing a security zone around the Zaporozhye NPP could be reached shortly.

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