Distinguished Chair,
I have the honor to address this Board on behalf of the Baltic states – Latvia, Lithuania and my own country – Estonia. We fully align ourselves with the statement delivered by Denmark on behalf of the European Union member states. We would like to add the following remarks.
Chair,
We reiterate our strongest condemnation of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, its seizure and militarization of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and strikes against Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure. Three and a half years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian drone strikes have recently intensified significantly, further endangering nuclear safety and security in all of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities. Russia’s reckless actions pose a persistent threat to nuclear safety and security with potential regional and global consequences. We are particularly alarmed that Ukraine’s ZNPP has relied on a single off-site power line for several months, and has periodically had to rely for power on diesel generators, including recently, on the 4th of July, as reported by the Agency. We urge Russia to allow Ukrainian workers to safely repair the 330 kV Ferosplavna backup line, critical to nuclear safety of the ZNPP. The Agency’s mission in August to electrical substations provided evidence of vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s electricity grid and damage resulting from Russia’s attacks. It is clear that the nuclear safety and security risks will persist for as long as Russia continues its war and illegal seizure of the ZNPP.
Chair,
In line with the Director General’s conclusions, we are deeply alarmed, that the situation at the seized Ukrainian ZNPP remains precarious with six out of the seven indispensable pillars being compromised fully or partially. The Agency staff at the ZNPP continue to be denied access to the western part of the turbine halls of all units and to the newly constructed dam. Although this obstruction prevented the Agency experts from fully performing independent assessments on the real safety and security implications at this part of the site, the ISAMZ continued to report a military presence in these areas. This is completely unacceptable. The IAEA must be granted unrestricted and timely access to all requested locations, information and personnel to ensure that the DG’s Five Principles are being observed at all times at the ZNPP.
We are also highly concerned about Russia taking concrete steps with the intent to connect and integrate Ukraine´s ZNPP into the Russian power grid. We stress that any such actions are unacceptable and a gross violation of international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. More bluntly, it is theft. All attempts to unilaterally restart the ZNPP under Russian control could potentially lead to a nuclear disaster. All ZNPP reactors must remain in cold shutdown until the plant is handed over to Ukrainian authorities and a thorough safety review is conducted by the IAEA.
Chair,
We commend the Director General and the Agency staff for their tireless work in assisting Ukraine. The continued presence of IAEA experts at Ukrainian nuclear facilities and monitoring of electrical substations, as requested by Ukraine, are indispensable for nuclear safety. We also welcome the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed by the IAEA and Ukraine at the Recovery Conference in Rome.
The Baltic States reiterate their unconditional and unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We deplore the high toll on civilians caused by Russia’s war of aggression and express our full support to the international call for an unconditional ceasefire, as a first step towards achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace.
We call on Russia to immediately and unconditionally withdraw its military and all other personnel from Ukraine´s ZNPP and from the entire territory of Ukraine in accordance with the UN Charter, Resolutions of this Board, the IAEA General Conference and the UN General Assembly. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
Thank You, Chair.