S/PV.9114 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Ukraine to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I give the floor to Ms. DiCarlo. Ms. DiCarlo: The United Nations remains gravely concerned about the dangerous situation in and around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. The plant continues to be operated by Ukrainian technical personnel but has been under the control of the military forces of the Russian Federation since early March. In early August, disturbing reports of an escalation of shelling around the plant began to emerge. The Secretary-General has appealed to all concerned to exercise common sense and reason and to refrain from undertaking any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety or security of the nuclear plant — Europe’s largest. On 15 August, the Secretary-General discussed the issue of the plant’s safety during a call with Russian Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu. On 18 August, during his visit to Lviv, he discussed the situation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In all his statements and meetings, the Secretary-General has continued to call for all military activities in the immediate vicinity of the plant to cease immediately and for all sides to refrain from targeting its facilities or surroundings. All military personnel and equipment must be withdrawn from the plant. There should be no further deployment of forces or equipment to the site. The facility must not be used as part of any military operation, and an agreement on a safe perimeter of demilitarization to ensure the safety of the area should be reached. Regrettably, despite numerous calls and appeals, instead of de-escalation, we continue to see the almost daily reports of alarming incidents involving the plant. Today the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) renewed his request to send an Agency mission to carry out essential safety, security and safeguard activities at the site. Preparations for the mission are proceeding, and the IAEA is in active consultations with all parties concerning its efforts to send such a mission as soon as possible. We welcome Ukraine and Russia’s recent statements indicating support for the IAEA’s aim to send a mission to the plant, which would be its first to that site since the start of the war. Common sense must prevail to avoid any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety or security of the plant. As the Secretary-General stressed in his briefing before the Security Council yesterday (see S/PV.9112), the commitment to dialogue and results must be applied to the critical situation at the plant. If such incidents continue or escalate, we could face a disaster. The United Nations continues to fully support the critical work of the International Atomic Energy Agency and its efforts to ensure the safe operation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine. In close contact with the IAEA, the United Nations has assessed that we have the logistics and security capacity in Ukraine to support any IAEA mission to the plant from Kyiv, provided that Ukraine and Russia agree. We once again urge the parties to provide the IAEA mission with immediate, secure and unfettered access to the site. Agreement is urgently needed to re-establish Zaporizhzhya as purely civilian infrastructure and to ensure the safety of the area. We must be clear that any potential damage to the plant or any other nuclear facilities in Ukraine leading to a possible nuclear incident would have catastrophic consequences not only for the immediate vicinity, but for the region and beyond. Similarly, any damage leading to the plant being cut from the Ukrainian power grid would have catastrophic humanitarian implications, particularly with winter approaching. As the Secretary-General has made clear, the electricity produced at the Zaporizhzhya plant belongs to Ukraine. At this moment, it is imperative that we receive the express commitment of the parties to stop any military activities around the plant to enable its continued safe and secure operations. To paraphrase the Secretary-General’s blunt warning, any potential damage to Zaporizhzhya is suicidal.

I thank Ms. DiCarlo for her briefing. I shall now give the floor to those Council members who wish to make statements.

We thank Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo for her briefing. In the context of that briefing, I would like to point out that we heard her say that the electricity of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant belongs to Ukraine. Nevertheless, we would like to draw the Council’s attention to the fact that we have not heard such words from the Secretariat regarding the frozen Russian assets in the West or the Syrian oil that is being stolen by the American authorities illegally occupying Syria. About two weeks have passed since the most recent meeting of the Security Council on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant (see S/PV.9109). In the course of that time, nuclear safety has further deteriorated. The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue shelling the territory of the nuclear power plant and the town of Enerhodar practically every day. That creates a real risk of a radiation accident in the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, with catastrophic consequences for the entire European continent. According to information available to the Russian Ministry of Defence and the civil-military administration of the Zaporizhzhya oblast, on 11 August, the forty- fourth artillery brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shelled the station with 152-millimetre guns, damaging the equipment of the spray pools of the nuclear reactor’s cooling system. On 14 August, the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired 10 shells at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, with 155-millimetre shells from American-made M777 howitzers, and launched two guided munitions. As a result of the shelling of the city of Enerhodar, one person died and another was wounded. On 15 August, 30 shells were fired from 152-millimetre guns. On 17 August, 11 shells were launched, in addition to a Polish-made kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicle. Three strikes were made by loitering munitions on Enerhodar. On 18 August, Enerhodar was shelled seven times with heavy artillery. On 20 August, strikes on the station were made from Ukrainian positions using heavy artillery and American-made 155-millimetre shells using American-made M379 fuses. An artillery strike was carried out in the area of special buildings 1 and 2, as well as the laboratory and amenities building. As a result, the building of the laboratory and amenities building 2 were damaged, as was the hydraulics-unit building and the station lighting. Immediately after the shelling, fire was opened on the suburbs of Enerhodar. On 22 August, an unmanned aerial vehicle attacked the area of laboratory building 2. Furthermore, American long-range artillery was used to shell the thermal tower station in Enerhodar. According to our information, one civilian died and one was wounded. I want to show the Council a photograph of the destruction of the territory of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant as a result of shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We have a whole collection of such photographic evidence, and we distributed it this morning as official documents of the Security Council and the General Assembly. The fact that the Kyiv regime is not stopping its attacks on the station is a direct consequence of the criminal acquiescence of its Western patrons. At the most recent meeting, not a single Western delegation had the courage to condemn the shelling of the plant by the Ukrainian armed forces and to call on the Kyiv regime to stop it. Neither was such courage found in the European capitals, only absurd appeals to Russia to stop some “recent actions around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant” It seems that our colleagues exist in some parallel reality, in which the Russian military itself is shelling the station that it is protecting, using American systems. The pinnacle of that absurdity was the recent statements by British parliamentarian Tobias Ellwood and United States House of Representatives member Adam Kinzinger that the shelling of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant could be a reason to invoke article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. At the same time, the Western mass media is using the conclusions of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency that the shelling of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is not dangerous for the population of Western Europe and that, even in the case of a hypothetical accident, there would be no large-scale catastrophe because the station should withstand the rocket strike, and even if it fails, the radioactive plume would not reach Western Europe. The fact that, even in the least destructive scenario, the population of the Zaporizhzhya oblast will suffer, our Western colleagues are apparently ready, as usual, to consider it collateral damage. That shows their concern for human rights and people-centred security, that the Western delegations told us so much about at yesterday’s Council meeting (see S/PV.9112). That cynical attitude towards the population of Ukraine is further evidence that the Western handlers in Kyiv are not at all concerned about their fate and are ready to fight to the last Ukrainian. We have thus far been able to avoid catastrophes resulting from the shelling of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant by the Armed Forces of Ukraine thanks to the joint and well-coordinated work of the plant’s personnel, firefighters, emergency crews and Russian military personnel, who are helping them in any way they can. That confirms that there is a healthy working atmosphere at the plant and that no one is harassing anyone. Contrary to the false statements of the Kyiv regime and its handlers, Russia is not placing heavy weapons on the premises of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and is not using the plant for military purposes. The Russian Ministry of Defence is ready to provide the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) high- resolution images that show that no weapons, let alone heavy weapons, have been placed there. Recently, Secretary-General Guterres visited Ukraine. We pinned certain hopes on his visit. We expected that the United Nations would firmly demand that Kyiv stop shelling the station. But we have not heard any condemnation of what is going on from Mr. Guterres, other than appeals for military actions to bypass the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. I would like to ask Ms. DiCarlo whether the Secretary-General managed to obtain a promise from Volodymyr Zelensky to stop shelling the plant. What does the Secretariat make of the fact that the shelling of the plant by Ukraine is continuing in the light of the grave concern expressed by the IAEA about the situation? From day one, we have supported the efforts of the IAEA and its Director General, Rafael Grossi, to organize a mission to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. We did all we could to ensure that the visit of the IAEA experts to the plant could take place as early as June, and we had already agreed to that mission by 3 June. The trip was then cancelled through no fault of our own. Today we hear absurd speculation in the foreign press that Western countries almost forced Russia’s to consent to the mission. We expect that the IAEA mission will nevertheless take place in the near future and that Agency experts will be able to confirm the real situation at the plant. We stand ready to extend maximum assistance to resolve all organizational issues. In conclusion, I would like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to the tragedy that took place near Moscow on 20 August — a vehicle driven by Daria Dugina, a well-known independent journalist, war correspondent and political scientist, was blown up. Our competent authorities are conducting an investigation. Preliminarily, they have established that the Ukrainian secret services are behind that monstrous crime. The direct perpetrator, who is affiliated with the nationalist Azov Battalion, has been identified. She managed to evade justice and escape to Estonia. Daria Dugina was 29 years old. Her life was cut short in its prime. Due to her professional activities, the journalist had long been in the sights of Ukrainian nationalists. Here is a photo from the infamous “Peacemaker” website, which we have repeatedly referenced. They are openly boasting about her murder. As you can see, her photo is crossed out, with the caption “liquidated”. We note that this crime was condemned by an official representative of the United States Department of State. We call on the Council and the United Nations leadership to strongly condemn this latest crime by the Kyiv regime. Not only are they using nuclear blackmail by shelling the nuclear power plant and holding people in Europe hostage, but they also crossed all of the lines and are now physically eliminating the civilians they do not like, who are foreign citizens. And in this case the victim was an independent journalist, killed because of her professional activity. The official representatives of the Kyiv regime are calling openly for the murder of Russians. Pyotr Vrublevsky, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan, stated publicly not long ago that Ukraine’s goal is to kill as many Russians as possible. According to him, the more Russians who are killed now, the fewer there will be left for future generations of Ukrainians to have to kill. We are shocked that not only do the Western countries not condemn this, but they are helping the Ukrainian special services train subversive saboteurs to exterminate so-called undesirables. A clear example of that is that of Yevgeniy Karpenko, a Ukrainian citizen who was recruited by the Ukrainian special services in the Czech Republic and trained to lay mines at a military base in the Czech city of Český Krumlov. He was taught to plant explosives in buildings and cars and then sent to the Donetsk people’s republic to carry out a terrorist act in a Volodarsk district administrative building. Fortunately, Karpenko turned himself in, but if he had done what he had planned, the scale of the potential civilian casualties is frightening even to imagine. In that context, it is no longer surprising that the Czech authorities have crossed the bounds of every moral standard and have been openly gloating about the death of Darya Dugina. Jana Černochová, the Czech Minister of Defence, said that she did not feel sorry for Darya or her father and that the night of 21 August will long be remembered in Russia. She has since confirmed that she stands behind every word. But even putting aside morality, which has long been eclipsed by Russophobia among our Western colleagues, Ms. Černochová’s statement essentially amounts to open support and propaganda for acts of terror against civilians. I would like to remind the Council that a Czech citizen named Čermák who publicly supported a terrorist act in the city of Christchurch in New Zealand was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment in the Czech Republic. We expect the competent Czech authorities to treat their Minister of Defence’s statements with equal seriousness and assess them accordingly.

I thank Under-Secretary- General Rosemary DiCarlo for her insightful briefing. In recent weeks, the reports of the risk of a possible nuclear accident in Ukraine have multiplied. The intensification of military activity in the vicinity of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and the allegations that the plant is being used for military purposes raise the spectre of a nuclear disaster with potentially incalculable consequences. A couple of weeks ago, we gathered in this Chamber to express our collective indignation at the possibility that such an outcome could happen (see S/PV.9109). All military activity at nuclear sites must cease. The parties to the conflict must refrain from any attacks on nuclear sites, including cyberattacks, and from any rhetoric that tends to invoke nuclear risk as a weapon of war. We call for an independent and impartial investigation to establish responsibility for the attacks and other bombardments targeting the Zaporizhzhya power plant. In the meantime, it is crucial that the belligerents respect the nuclear security rules in force and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with a view to securing the sites. We welcome the intention expressed by the parties to facilitate the conduct of an IAEA expert mission in Ukraine, and we urge them to find common ground on the operational modalities of the mission, which we all wish to see as soon as possible. It is not acceptable to wait and speculate about the potential risk of adding devastating environmental and human health effects to the economic and humanitarian impact. After six months of war, suffering and destruction in Ukraine, we think it is time to restore peace to the heart of our priority agenda. My country encourages all initiatives aimed at bringing the parties to the negotiating table in order to achieve peaceful coexistence. As long as the fighting continues, the situation in Ukraine will surely continue to worsen. The surest way to ward off a multifaceted security threat is to end the hostilities. We encourage all political and diplomatic efforts to stop the escalation, silence the guns and reach an agreement on a lasting peace between the parties. The recently concluded grain agreement is a source of hope regarding the possibility of convening a ceasefire agreement to pave the way for good-faith negotiations on a return to sustainable peace. My country supports all international and regional efforts aimed at restoring peace in Ukraine.

I would like to thank Ms. DiCarlo for her timely briefing. Since our last meeting, on 11 August (see S/PV.9109), the situation around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has continued to be deeply alarming. Despite urgent calls for de-escalation, we are still receiving news of shelling in the proximity of the power plant. We underline once more that shelling around the nuclear facility puts Ukraine, the wider region and the whole world at grave risk of a catastrophic nuclear accident. The example of Chornobyl has been frequently invoked in this Chamber and elsewhere, and with reason. We remember the horrendous consequences all too well. The world cannot afford a scenario where another such calamity is even a possibility. When it comes to nuclear matters, our collective security is truly intertwined. That is a message that has been reinforced in the past few weeks here in New York during the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Nuclear safety is a critical issue for the United Arab Emirates and a matter of priority. We remain committed to supporting all efforts ensuring the safety and security of nuclear facilities globally, including through our work with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and our participation in the IAEA’s Board of Governors. In that regard, we want to emphasize once again the importance of refraining from any action that could further endanger the facility, particularly considering the volatile and fraught situation, and we echo IAEA Director General Grossi’s recent statement calling urgently for the lowering of tensions near the plant. We further stress again the particular protection accorded to nuclear plants under international law. The United Arab Emirates also reiterates how important it is to ensure that the IAEA has full, unimpeded access to the site in order to assess the damage and ascertain the safety of the facility. We welcome that both parties support such a mission, and we urge that it be conducted expeditiously. We are one day from the six-month mark since the beginning of the conflict. It remains crucial to advocate for constructive dialogue that will bring the conflict to a peaceful, sustainable resolution in a way that is consistent with the Charter of the United Nations and international law. The only way to truly stop the suffering created by the conflict and mitigate its consequences, including the risk of a catastrophic nuclear accident, is by achieving a cessation of hostilities throughout Ukraine. We, the members of the Security Council, must work to fulfil its mandate and take incremental and pragmatic steps to support efforts aimed at a diplomatic end to the conflict.

I thank Under- Secretary-General DiCarlo for her timely briefing. Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine has endangered nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Europe and beyond. And we reject the Russian Federation’s use of the Security Council as a platform for disinformation. There is no doubt that the safety and security in and around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has deteriorated because of the presence of an armed aggressor. Russia’s continued illegal war has increased the risk of a nuclear accident, with potentially catastrophic consequences for human health and the environment. The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has outlined seven indispensable pillars for nuclear safety and security, which we fully endorse. We note with great distress that virtually all seem to have been violated as a consequence of Russian aggression. We call for maximum military restraint in the area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, and we emphasize the importance of facilitating a mission from the IAEA to carry out essential safety, security and safeguards activities while fully respecting Ukrainian sovereignty. In this regard, we note recent statements indicating that both Ukraine and Russia could support the IAEA aim of sending a mission to Zaporizhzhya. We remain concerned that Russia’s seizure of a nuclear power plant in Ukraine is also a means of taking hostage a central source of an electricity supply essential to the civilian population of Ukraine. We call on Russia to return full control of the plant to its Ukrainian operator, and we commend Ukraine for its commitment and dedication to ensuring continuous nuclear safety and security under severe circumstances. Russia’s illegal war and unprovoked aggression has caused terrible suffering for the people of Ukraine and beyond, including aggravating global food insecurity. Let me end by again reiterating that the Russian Federation must immediately withdraw its forces from Ukraine and its internationally recognized borders and cease all threats and military actions. This would also restore Ukraine’s ability to ensure safe and secure operations of all of its nuclear facilities.

I thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing. We commend the Secretary-General for his recent visit to Ukraine, and we greatly appreciate the continued efforts of the United Nations aimed at addressing the increasingly dangerous situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. The issue at hand today is not some abstract political debate, and this is not some far-off problem. As we speak Ukraine, neighbouring States and the entire international community are living under the threat of a nuclear catastrophe. People are understandably terrified. This includes people like Tamara Korolkowa, a 70-year-old grandmother who can see the plant from her apartment building. She has nightmares about the plant blowing up. As she told a reporter for National Public Radio: “All of us are just scared all the time”. And for what? Why on Earth is a nuclear facility being used as a staging ground for war by Russian forces? These questions can only be answered by President Putin. They could also have been answered by members of the Russian delegation who sit in this Chamber today. Only they can explain why Russia thinks it can redraw international borders by force, in contravention of the United Nations Charter. Only they can account for the atrocities they have carried out against the Ukrainian people: bombings of schools and hospitals, the killing of aid workers and journalists in execution-style murders, and the forced deportations of Ukrainian civilians through so-called filtration operations. And only they can explain why their troops recklessly attacked and seized control of this plant, pushing us to the brink of nuclear disaster. I will recall again Ukraine’s impeccable record of nuclear energy safety and security prior to Russia’s seizure of this facility. But we did not hear answers from the Russian delegation. Instead, what we heard were references to a hodgepodge of websites and tweets. And of course, that is a double-edged sword. As I would remind the Russian delegation, it was the Russian Ambassador in Vienna who just a few days ago tweeted: “No mercy for the Ukrainian people.” Nevertheless, a nuclear disaster at the plant is avoidable. Russia created this risk, and only Russia can defuse it. The solution is not complicated. Russia must end its unprovoked, unjustified war and withdraw its troops. And given the urgency of this situation, Russia must immediately follow the recommendation of Secretary- General Guterres and establish a demilitarized zone in the area surrounding the plant. This would allow for the Ukrainian personnel who are currently being held under duress to operate the facility complete a damage assessment and restore the facility’s impeccable safety, security and safeguards performance. A demilitarized zone would enable the team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to travel to the facility, conduct an inspection and assess the safety, security and application of safeguards to ongoing nuclear plant operations. We also call on Russia to agree to an IAEA visit to the facility in a way that will respect Ukrainian sovereignty. And we echo the words of the Secretary-General when we say that the electricity from Zaporizhzhya is Ukrainian electricity and that this principle must be fully respected. Finally, let me close by reminding my Russian colleagues that as we approach Ukraine’s Independence Day, the world is watching. This should not need saying, but I ask the Russian Federation not to bomb schools, hospitals, orphanages or homes. We will continue to pursue accountability for any and all violations of international law. Today, on the eve of the six- month anniversary of Russia’s invasion, we reiterate the message that we have shared with the Russian delegation throughout their country’s war of choice: end the suffering, end the bloodshed, end this war.

I would like to thank Under- Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing. Ireland continues to be deeply concerned by the situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and the serious risk of a radiological accident or incident arising from military activity at the site. We are also very concerned by the ongoing shelling at and around the power plant, which must stop immediately. The devastating consequences for the people of Ukraine and the wider region of an accident or incident at Zaporizhzhya should be the overriding concern for all of us. We strongly support the Secretary-General’s call for the demilitarization of the plant and its environs. It is essential that basic principles of nuclear safety and security are fully respected. We call on Russia, and indeed all States, to commit themselves to the seven pillars of nuclear safety and security set out by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in relation to peaceful nuclear facilities and materials in all circumstances, including situations of armed conflict. We commend the bravery and professionalism of the Ukrainian personnel at the plant who have sought to maintain its safe operation despite being subjected to intolerable circumstances by Russian military forces. We strongly support an IAEA mission to the power plant to address safety, security and safeguards at the plant, respecting Ukraine’s sovereignty over its full territory and infrastructure. We welcome Secretary-General Guterres’s reaffirmation, as expressed by Under-Secretary- General DiCarlo, that the United Nations has the logistical and security capacity to support the mission from Kyiv to the nuclear power plant. It is vital that this mission is given full access with no restrictions. We hope to see that mission take place as soon as possible. We are also deeply worried by possible efforts to disconnect the power plant from the Ukrainian electrical grid. Under the current circumstances, this presents significant dangers for nuclear safety, as well as for the humanitarian needs of the people of Ukraine who are relying on the plant for their energy needs. Let us call a spade a spade. The issues at Zaporizhzhya arise solely from Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine. The Russian military has created this crisis through its illegal seizure and occupation of the Zaporizhzhya facility and its reckless actions in Ukraine, which have clearly demonstrated its utter disregard for nuclear safety and security. We would like to point out that armed attacks against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes are violations of international law, including the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. As we have said before, if Russia is genuine in its concern regarding nuclear safety at Zaporizhzhya, it must assume its responsibilities and end its illegal occupation of the site, withdrawing its troops and munitions. That would see control of the plant restored to the competent Ukrainian authorities, supported by the IAEA. Ireland once again calls on Russia to end its brutal war on the Ukrainian people, withdraw its troops from the entire internationally recognized territory of Ukraine and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbours.

At the outset, I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her updates on the growing international concerns about the safety of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine. When the Council met on the same subject a little over a week ago (see S/PV.9109), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), through its Director General, warned of potentially tragic consequences for human lives and the environment in the event of the accidental leakage of radioactive material from the facility. Ghana deplores the fact that despite the warnings and urgent appeals from the international community for all military action around the nuclear facility to cease, the indiscriminate shelling, attacks and militarization of the facility and its surroundings have continued. We feel compelled to once again reiterate our deep alarm and our condemnation of those unacceptable developments. We want to remind the armed parties that international law, including the 1977 Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, prohibits the conduct of military conflict around nuclear sites. We also call for immediate and full respect by all the armed parties for the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its 2005 Amendment. We call for the demilitarization of all the zones around Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. In that respect, Ghana fully supports an independent assessment of the nuclear safety standards and safeguards at the Zaporizhzhya facility to ensure that no breach has occurred. For that to happen, however, it is crucial for the Russian Federation, which is currently controlling the facility, to grant immediate access to the IAEA so that the Agency can conduct the requisite assessment. We also stress how urgent it is that the IAEA authorities act quickly to assess the danger and respond appropriately. Ghana continues to hold the principled position that there can be no military solution to the ongoing hostilities. We therefore urge for intensifying diplomacy and dialogue to comprehensively address the underlying security concerns and mistrust between the warring parties. Furthermore, while prioritizing the pursuit of diplomacy and dialogue, we also strongly believe that an unconditional withdrawal of the Russian Federation’s invading troops from the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine is a prerequisite for the restoration of peace and security in Ukraine. In conclusion, we reiterate our previous assertions that the plight of civilians, particularly women and children, as well as the growing humanitarian threat, should override all other considerations as we seek to stop this needless war.

Let me begin by thanking Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her update focusing on the safety and security of nuclear facilities in Ukraine. We continue to carefully follow the developments regarding the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. India attaches high importance to ensuring their safety and security, as any accident involving nuclear facilities could potentially have disastrous consequences for public health and the environment. We also accord high priority to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) ability to conduct its safeguards and monitoring activities in accordance with its statute in an effective, objective and efficient manner, and we value its efforts in that regard. India remains concerned about the situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. We support the ongoing efforts, including those of the IAEA, to reduce tensions and take steps to ensure nuclear safety and security at the facility. We have noted the latest information available on nuclear power plants and facilities in Ukraine, including the updates published on 19 August by the IAEA. We hope that the proposed visit by a team from the IAEA to the power plant and its surrounding areas will be agreed to by the two sides, as indicated in their recent statements. We continue to reiterate that the global order should be anchored in international law, the Charter of the United Nations and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of States.

We thank Under- Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing. The United Kingdom remains gravely concerned about the implications of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine for nuclear safety, security and safeguards. The invasion has disrupted the operation of nuclear facilities across Ukraine, seriously threatened operational safety and prevented the Ukrainian authorities from carrying out routine safeguarding tasks. Instead of calling yet another meeting on the crisis at Zaporizhzhya, Russia could resolve it immediately by withdrawing its forces from the nuclear power plant  — and all of Ukraine  — and ceasing its senseless aggression. As well as causing untold suffering to the Ukrainian people, the simple fact is that Russia’s invasion and its efforts to seize Ukraine’s nuclear plants by force have jeopardized the safety of the millions in the region who would be affected by a nuclear incident in Ukraine. Meanwhile, important nuclear safety and safeguards activities at the site are needed more than ever. We welcome the progress towards an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) technical visit. Any visit should take place in a manner that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty over its territory. The Secretary-General has been clear that the United Nations can facilitate a visit from the Ukrainian side, and we welcome his engagement and that of the United Nations. We also welcome the efforts of the Ukrainian Administration and the IAEA staff to plan and support a mission. We call on Russia to provide appropriate security guarantees. We also commend the heroic efforts of the Ukrainian staff operating the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, despite the great pressure they are under. They must be able to carry out their duties without threats or further disruption. Cutting off a major supply of electricity to the people of Ukraine would cause immense further suffering, as Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo said today. The electricity at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant belongs to Ukraine. Russia’s war is reckless and irresponsible. A nuclear disaster should be unthinkable. No member of the United Nations — let alone a permanent member of the Council — should create that threat by seeking to take another country’s nuclear facilities by force. Russia’s actions are contrary to the principles of the Convention on Nuclear Safety and other international nuclear safety conventions. We therefore call once more on Russia to return full control of all Ukraine’s nuclear facilities to their rightful sovereign owner to ensure their safe and secure operation.

We thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing on the critical situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. As the Secretary-General pointed out, avoiding any action that would jeopardize the integrity or safety of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant would simply be common sense. However, common sense is unfortunately often the least common of senses. As the Secretary-General also said, at the opening of the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the world has avoided the use of nuclear weapons merely by luck. But luck is not a strategy, the Secretary-General stressed. Attacks on the Zaporizhzhya power plant jeopardize its security and could have catastrophic short-, medium- and long-term humanitarian consequences for the civilian population, including far beyond Ukraine and neighbouring countries. We also agree with the Secretary-General that damaging the nuclear plant is tantamount to collective suicide. I would like to highlight three points. First, all attacks on the plant and its surroundings must cease immediately. Any attack against civilian nuclear facilities is a flagrant violation of international law and the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We reiterate what we stated on 11 August: such attacks violate international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Protocol Additional I of 1977 thereto (see S/PV.9109). Secondly, the plant’s facilities must not be used for military operations under any circumstances. The Zaporizhzhya plant must be kept out of this conflict. Priority should be given to respecting the civilian status of the plant and immediately removing all military personnel and equipment. The Ukrainian regulatory authorities need to have free access and effective control over the operation of the plant in order to ensure compliance with the seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety. Thirdly, we support the Secretary-General’s call for the establishment of a demilitarized zone that would enable the International Atomic Energy Agency to carry out the necessary inspections in order to for us to have objective, truthful and independent information on the current conditions at the plant. Today the International Atomic Energy Agency reiterated its request for a technical inspection. The United Nations has also stated that it has the logistics and security capacity to support any International Atomic Energy Agency mission to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant from Kyiv, should both Russia and Ukraine agree. It is vital for an inspection to take place, without any hindrance or pretext. I would like to conclude by reiterating Mexico’s call for an end to the war in Ukraine and a return to the path of dialogue. The impact of the conflict on the civilian population over the past months has been enormous, with irreversible consequences, and that is why a ceasefire needs to be agreed without further delay. The food grain agreements that have been reached clearly demonstrate what can be achieved when there is political will and reason prevails. We hope that the same approach will be taken in order to reach an agreement on Zaporizhzhya, where what is at stake is none another than the right to life.

I would like to thank Ms. DiCarlo for her briefing. France has been deeply concerned since the beginning of this war about the threat that Russia’s aggression in Ukraine poses to the safety and security of Ukrainian nuclear facilities. Russia has forcibly seized the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which is in Ukraine’s territory. The presence and actions of Russia’s armed forces in the vicinity of the plant significantly increase the risk of an accident, and Russia bears responsibility for that situation. France, for its part, would like to make three points. First, Russia must give Ukraine back full control of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, as well as all nuclear facilities in Ukraine. Russia must urgently remove all of its military personnel and equipment from the plant. The Ukrainian personnel operating the plant must be allowed to carry out their duties without threat or pressure. Secondly, France welcomes and supports the continued efforts of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). His seven pillars of nuclear safety and security must be complied with. There is also a need restore the IAEA’s ability to monitor peaceful nuclear activities throughout Ukraine in order to ensure compliance with safeguards, an ability that Russia’s actions have compromised. Thirdly, it is essential to facilitate an IAEA expert mission to the Zaporizhzhya plant as soon as possible. That mission needs to be conducted with respect for Ukraine’s full sovereignty over its territory and the entirety of its infrastructure. France commends the role of the United Nations in that regard, and for its willingness to provide the necessary logistical support to deploy such a mission from Kyiv. We also welcome the agreement in principle reached by Ukraine and Russia to conduct such a mission, which has been confirmed at the highest level. What we need now are sufficient security guarantees and a commitment from all parties so that the mission can be conducted within the next few days. France will continue to unwaveringly support the IAEA’s efforts to that end, as demonstrated by our President’s meetings with President Putin on 19 August and with President Zelenskyy on 16 August, as well as the phone call that took place this morning between our Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs and Sergey Lavrov.

I would like to thank Under- Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo for her briefing on the situation concerning the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. It is unfortunate that we are having this discussion for the second time in just more than a week, at the tail end of the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The objective of the Treaty is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. The deployment of nuclear weapons can have a long- term apocalyptic effect on humankind, biodiversity and the environment. Indeed, a stray or deliberate targeting of any nuclear facility, even if the facility is intended for peaceful uses, will turn it into a nuclear weapon with equally devastating capabilities. We therefore remain deeply concerned about the continuous shelling in the vicinity of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which is exposing thousands of civilians to grave security risks and power cut-offs. In that regard, Kenya welcomes the Secretary- General’s recent visit to Lviv and fully supports his plea for the withdrawal of military equipment and personnel and an immediate end to all military activity around what is in fact Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, in order to guarantee its safety. We also urge immediate and unconditional access to the site for experts and officials from the IAEA to conduct the critically needed safety, security and safeguards verification activities. We welcome the cooperation expressed by the parties in that regard. Kenya continues to call for the parties to refrain from any action that may further escalate the situation. We continue to reiterate, as we have time and again, the need to shift gears to an immediate cessation of hostilities and for the deployment of available diplomatic tools to end the conflict. A cessation of hostilities would lay the groundwork for the negotiation of a lasting peace settlement that guarantees the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, for which Kenya continues to advocate.

I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo for her briefing. Two weeks ago, we met in this very Chamber to discuss this very topic (see S/PV.9109). We all expressed our concerns about the potentially catastrophic and lasting consequences for human health and the environment that substantial damage to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant would entail. We reaffirmed that any armed attack on, or threat against, nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as unanimously recognized by the Agency’s General Conference. We reiterated the responsibility of States to ensure compliance with applicable instruments on nuclear safety and security, such as the Convention on Nuclear Safety, the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its amendment. We agreed that it was high time the IAEA deployed an expert mission to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant without delay. Yet the situation remains unchanged. Shelling around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant continues, and we meet once again. Our inability to translate words into actions is pushing us to the brink of reason. Two weeks ago, the IAEA assessed that the situation posed no immediate threat to nuclear safety, but as the situation drags on, the threat that was once limited becomes an increasingly concrete risk. We reiterate our call on all parties to refrain from any measure that could jeopardize the safety and security of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, as well as its safe operation. Brazil recognizes the indispensable role that the International Atomic Energy Agency can play in taking the necessary steps to help ensure nuclear safety and security and prevent any radiological consequences for the population and the environment, in the region and beyond. We therefore welcome the news that negotiations for the deployment of an IAEA expert mission to Zaporizhzhya are progressing, and we urge the parties to allow its immediate dispatch.

We thank Under- Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing. We held a meeting on this very issue less than two weeks ago (see S/ PV.9109). Our position has not changed and, although we are fully aware of the importance of the matter, there is one simple issue that stands above all else. We are here only because of this senseless, unjustified, unprovoked and illegal war. Everything we have discussed here concerning Ukraine during this long six-month period flows from the unjustified actions of Russia and its war of choice — and now also from the continuous danger of a nuclear catastrophe. Albania condemns the militarization of nuclear power plants in Ukraine. We condemn any act of violence inside or near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant or against its personnel. Ukrainian personnel operating the plant during the Russian invasion must be able to carry out their important tasks without restriction, threats or pressure. Albania reiterates its full and continued support for the International Atomic Energy Agency and its staff to have immediate, safe and unimpeded access to all nuclear facilities in Ukraine and to engage directly with the Ukrainian staff responsible for those facilities. We support the deployment of an expert mission to the scene as soon as possible to help stabilize the nuclear safety and security situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and conduct safety, security and safeguards protocols. We remain very worried about reports that the very reason for the presence of the Russian military personnel at the Ukrainian nuclear plant is to disconnect the power plant from the Ukrainian energy network and divert its energy for Russian interests. We welcome the clear position of Secretary-General Guterres on the matter and reiterate our position. The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is Ukrainian. Its electricity is Ukrainian. Russia and its troops have no place there and no part in it. In conclusion, we reiterate our full solidarity with Ukraine and its people and again call on the Russian Federation to put an end to this war and immediately withdraw all its armed forces from Ukraine, including from Ukrainian nuclear facilities, if it is truly interested in preventing incidents with catastrophic consequences for all of us. There is no reason for Russian troops to be in Ukraine. There is no need for Russian troops to be at a nuclear power plant.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of China. I thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing. When the Council last considered the issue of the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities (see S/PV.9109), members expressed concern about the safety of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. It is disconcerting that the nuclear power plant continues to be the target of shelling. Although the shelling has not posed an immediate threat to the safety of the nuclear power plant, as Director General Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated, that could change at any moment. There is no room for trial and error as it pertains to the safety and security of nuclear facilities. Any single incident could lead to a serious nuclear accident, with irreversible consequences for the environment and the public health of Ukraine and neighbouring countries. China again calls on the parties concerned to exercise maximum restraint, strictly abide by the provisions of relevant international law, earnestly implement the seven pillars proposed by Director General Grossi, avoid actions that could endanger nuclear safety and security and minimize the risk of an accident. China has always supported the IAEA in fulfilling its safeguards responsibilities, in strict accordance with its mandate, and in playing an active role in promoting nuclear safety and security. Under the current circumstances, the IAEA must conduct a site visit to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant as soon as possible to carry out a professional and technical assessment of the safety and security situation at the nuclear facility. We have taken note of the fact that both Russia and Ukraine have made positive statements about the visit. We hope that all the parties concerned will overcome political obstacles, strengthen communication and collaboration, adhere to an issues-oriented approach and reach an agreement on the timing and details of the visit as soon as possible so that the IAEA mission can be conducted in a timely manner. To address the safety and security of nuclear facilities, we must adhere to science and rationality, follow the spirit of humanity, engage in communication and cooperation and move beyond political positions, hostile differences and military considerations. We must not allow the tragedies caused by the Chornobyl and Fukushima nuclear accidents to be repeated. To eliminate the nuclear safety risk at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, the international community must responsibly promote the de-escalation of the situation, step up diplomatic efforts, seek political solutions, guide the parties back to dialogue and negotiations and achieve a ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities as soon as possible. China once again calls upon all the parties concerned to pay attention to each other’s legitimate security concerns, build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture and make unremitting efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine and achieve lasting peace and stability in the region. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. The representative of the Russian Federation has asked for the floor to make a further statement.

We are meeting today because the reasons that have compelled us to request this meeting have not gone away. Despite the fact that there are no Russian heavy weapons located at or firing from the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, shelling by the Ukrainian armed forces of both the plant and Enerhodar continues. We have said that on many occasions, which can be confirmed by impartial monitoring data, including satellite imagery. Once again, as with a broken record, we have heard that everything is Russia’s fault. The real root causes of the events at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant are being brazenly distorted, and obvious facts are being hushed up or denied. All that is being done with the sole purpose of whitewashing the reputation of their Kyiv protégés regardless of the latter’s actions, thereby giving them carte blanche to carry out their most reckless actions, since they can count on them being justified unconditionally by their sponsors. We have once again been called upon to agree to a visit by a mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency, which we agreed to in June and have repeatedly done so, including today. Some Western colleagues seem to be of the view that the only and simplest way of resolving the situation is to withdraw Russian troops and create a demilitarized zone around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. That is an irresponsible proposal, as it completely ignores the need to maintain the conditions necessary for the safe operation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. We once again urge them to stop covering up the actions of their Kyiv proxies and to encourage them to stop their reckless attacks against the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which could lead to a nuclear incident and the radioactive contamination of European countries.

I now give the floor to the representative of Ukraine.

I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her informative briefing. I wish we had been gathered here by Russia to hear the only thing that the entire world wants to hear, and that would be a statement that Russia is demilitarizing the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, withdrawing its troops and handing it over to the Government of Ukraine. Instead, we have wasted more than one hour in listening to a slew of fictitious soundbites. The terrorist State has not stopped playing around with the international community. Once again, it has the audacity to convene a Security Council meeting to discuss its own provocations and terror at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Let me reiterate that the current situation makes it clear that the only thing that will ultimately eliminate the nuclear threat emanating from the illegal Russian presence at the nuclear power plant is the withdrawal of Russian weapons and troops and the return of the station to the legitimate control of Ukraine. Ukraine greatly appreciates the efforts of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations to ensure the safety and security of all Ukrainian nuclear facilities against the backdrop of the Russian invasion. We have always underlined the importance of the full and consistent implementation by the Agency of its mandate. In that regard, since the beginning of Russia’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, Ukraine has insisted on the need to send a mission to the site and has negotiated its modalities with the IAEA. We welcome the readiness of the IAEA Director General to send a mission to the occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. The visit should be conducted in strict compliance with the national legislation of Ukraine in full compliance with its international obligations. Earlier today, Foreign Minister Kuleba of Ukraine responded to the Director General’s letter dated 17 August, concerning the mission that I just mentioned. As per the letter, the IAEA proposal for the itinerary is in compliance with the national legislation of Ukraine and, in general, might be accepted. Further arrangements are to be made based on the security conditions and require the communication of detailed routes and other logistical aspects, as soon as possible. We continue to believe that the mission’s effectiveness can be bolstered by incorporating military and political components supported by United Nations expertise. Considering the scale of the current challenges and threats, we also urge the IAEA to consider the permanent presence of its experts at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant until the competent Ukrainian authorities regain full control over the nuclear facility. Russia’s wish to organize the mission to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has only one purpose. Let us proceed from the basic facts. The Zaporizhzhya power plant is a Ukrainian facility located on Ukrainian territory. The occupiers have trained some of the hostages as to what they should say and should not show to the IAEA. That is why it is really important to conduct the mission in a way that would allow the international community to see the real situation, not a Russian theatrical show. It is imperative that the mission take place: first, at the request of Ukraine; secondly, at the Ukrainian nuclear facility; and, thirdly, be covered by the implementation of the Safeguards Agreement between Ukraine and the IAEA. Russia’s role is to ensure the physical security of the mission. Russia is turning the issue of nuclear safety at the facility into a farce — a circus. It is downplaying the significance of the threats it has created and diverting attention from the urgent issue of the militarization and the occupation of the station. The entire international community has been demanding that for almost six months. That is what the IAEA says. Russia pretends not to hear that and continues to increasingly invent new ways of using the peaceful station for military purposes. It is obvious that any mission to the station, be it led by either the IAEA or the United Nations, will record flagrant violations of norms and requirements concerning nuclear safety. Therefore, Russia is trying to avoid responsibility, but it will not succeed. Russia needs the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant as a means of waging war. But there is another aspect: Russia is trying at all costs to cover the electricity needs of the temporarily occupied Crimea and other temporarily occupied territories — perhaps the Kherson and Zaporizhzhya regions  — because the publicized illegal electric bridge has never covered those needs and will not cover them. Moreover, Russia needs the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant for propaganda purposes, because ending the occupation of the plant will mean the failure of Putin’s campaign in the south of Ukraine. With regard to the shelling, Russian narratives about Ukrainian shelling of the station do not stand up to scrutiny. Nobody who is at least conscious can imagine that Ukraine would target a nuclear power plant at the tremendous risk of creating a nuclear catastrophe on its own territory. Such a catastrophe would lead to numerous deaths and pollution for many years to come. We already lost thousands of human lives and thousands of square kilometres of our territory in the exclusion zone around Chornobyl after 1986. We are mourning thousands of lives of Ukrainians killed by Russians in their war against Ukraine. We are suffering from the genocide conducted by Russians on the occupied territories, where they kidnapped thousands of children left orphaned after their parents were killed by the Russian army. We will never forget it, and we will do all we can to save the lives of Ukrainians. What we can do here in the United Nations format is to call things what they are. Russians forget that we live in a century of modern technology. Just as their crimes in Bucha and Mariupol were clearly seen by satellite, the shelling under the false flag will again be clearly filmed. Turning back to the international mission to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, let me stress that the need to send such a mission is primarily due to violations of all seven pillars of nuclear security, which are multiplying as a result of the illegal presence there of the Russian army and Rosatom. The constant presence of the IAEA and other experts at the station could become a determining factor in the context of its demilitarization and de-occupation. The international community, for its part, must continue to apply political pressure on the aggressor State of Russia and demand full demilitarization and unconditional de-occupation. Let me stress that nuclear security and safety is an absolute priority for everyone in the world, and Russia must immediately and without any conditions withdraw its troops. Russia must also stop all provocations and all shelling. It is unacceptable that Russia is deliberately putting all of us on the brink of a global nuclear disaster. As soon as Russia withdraws the troops from the facility, in which they simply have no right to be, the threat of a nuclear disaster will disappear — just as a similar threat disappeared as soon as Russian troops withdrew from the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and the exclusion zone. Only then will this threat not exist, just as it does not exist at three other Ukrainian nuclear power plants — the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant, the Rivne nuclear power plant and the South Ukraine nuclear power plant.