All ZNPP reactors should remain in cold shutdown mode: statement of 48 countries
At a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors on June 12, 48 countries issued a joint statement condemning Russia's continued occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and firmly rejecting any attempts to restart the reactors while the site remains under Russian control, according to Ukraine's Ministry of Energy.
The signatory states — including the UK, Germany, France, Canada, Australia, and other allies of Ukraine — emphasized that all ZNPP reactors must remain in cold shutdown mode.
They stressed that any potential restart can only occur after the plant is returned to the control of Ukraine’s national regulatory authorities.
The countries demanded that Russia withdraw its military and civilian personnel from the ZNPP, restore full control to Ukraine, and cease obstructing the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) mission.
"For Russia, ZNPP remains a tool of nuclear blackmail against the entire civilized international community. Attempts by Russian representatives to restart the reactors could lead to unpredictable consequences. We therefore call once again on the international community to prevent the occupiers from implementing a catastrophic scenario," said Ukraine’s Energy Minister, Herman Halushchenko.
Notably, the United States did not sign the statement, and Hungary was also absent from the list of signatories.
In late May, Greenpeace reported that Russian authorities in the occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions were constructing a new power line intended to facilitate the restart of ZNPP.
However, on May 29, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that he sees no evidence that Russia is preparing to restart the occupied facility.
On June 6, Russian sources explicitly confirmed that Rosatom has developed a phased plan to recommission the plant and has begun constructing a floating pumping station for reactor cooling.
