Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The following countries align themselves with this statement:  North Macedonia^*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^*, Georgia, Iceland⁺, Liechtenstein⁺, and Norway⁺.

As evidenced in the IAEA Director General’s latest report (GOV/2023/59), the situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) remains difficult and precarious. Six out of the Seven Pillars for nuclear safety and security are compromised either fully or partially. Issues concerning staffing, maintenance, cooling water and off-site power supply continue to pose significant nuclear safety and security risks. None of these existed before Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine and its illegal seizure of the ZNPP which the EU condemns in the strongest possible terms.

The presence of Russian troops at the ZNPP and the presence of vehicles belonging to Russian Federation troops in the turbine halls, as reported by the IAEA, is unacceptable. The EU is deeply concerned about the conditions of the Ukrainian staff and calls for the immediate return of the workers who have been subject to reported forced disappearances. The insufficient number of personnel at the ZNPP, 70% of it without valid Ukrainian licences and unfamiliar with essential technical information and procedures of the control rooms, constitutes a serious risk. We insist that full control be handed back immediately to competent and authorised Ukrainian staff.

The communication lines with the Ukrainian regulator have been cut off and its orders to limit the operation of all six units of the ZNPP to cold shutdown are ignored. The regular maintenance activities are being neglected and the logistical supply chains are hampered by the war, with no guarantee of timely deliveries. The ZNPP has completely lost its regular source of cooling water as a result of the destruction of the Kakhovka dam. The risk of repeatedly losing off-site power to the ZNPP or other nuclear power plants remains high, if Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid. The latest IAEA update of 17 November 2023 only increases our concern about nuclear safety management at the ZNPP following relevant nuclear safety events at reactors 5 (detection of boron in the secondary cooling circuit) and 6 (maintenance of the safety system after a 90-minutes power outage still under investigation). Due to all these reasons, it is of utmost importance that the reactors remain placed in shutdown.

For the past 11 months, the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhia (ISAMZ) has been waiting for an opportunity to visit the 330 kV open switchyard of the Zaporizhzhia thermal power plant. Moreover, ISAMZ has still not been given timely and unrestricted access to all areas of the ZNPP of significance for nuclear safety and security, which limits the Agency’s ability to fully confirm that all five concrete principles, established by the IAEA Director General on 30 May 2023, are being observed at all times.

Chair,

The EU strongly supports the IAEA’s continued presence at all of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants and welcomes that all planned rotations of Agency staff could take place as scheduled during the last reporting period. The EU is committed to providing further assistance to Ukraine bilaterally and via the IAEA. The EU reiterates its appreciation to the IAEA for its crucial and courageous work, which is indispensable to help Ukraine to maintain nuclear safety and security, and to implement safeguards pursuant to Ukraine’s safeguards obligations.

We recall the Agency’s clear stance, in line with UN General Assembly Resolution 11/4 of 12 October 2022 that the attempted illegal annexation of four regions of Ukraine has no validity under international law. Once again, we urge Russia to heed the resolutions by this Board and most recently by the IAEA General Conference. We will never recognise Russia’s illegal attempts to take ownership of a nuclear power plant of another country. Russia must withdraw all its troops, military vehicles, equipment and other personnel from the ZNPP and fully respect Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.

As Russia’s military aggression towards Ukraine is continuing, causing serious nuclear safety and security risks, we encourage the IAEA Secretariat not to invite high level Russian representatives to IAEA-sponsored events. We encourage all IAEA Member States to scrutinise their respective projects and activities in order to avoid entering into cooperation with those who grossly violate international law.

We appreciate the ongoing preparation of an IAEA Technical Document to review challenges in the application of safety standards and security guidance during armed conflicts and look forward to its presentation.

Furthermore, the EU looks forward to receiving regular reporting from the IAEA Director General on the situation in Ukraine, in full respect of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The EU will support Ukraine as long as necessary.

Thank you, Chair.

* Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

+ Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are members of the EFTA and of the European Economic Area.