During the general debate of the First Committee at the 81stth session of the UN General Assembly, 47 states and the European Union called on Russia to immediately withdraw military personnel and other unauthorised individuals from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and return it to the full control of the competent Ukrainian authorities. The joint statement was delivered by Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN.
Briefly about the main points
- 47 countries and the EU have called on Russia to return the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station to Ukraine.
- The signatories are demanding that military personnel and other unauthorised individuals be removed from the station.
- The restart of the reactors under Russian occupation was described as unacceptable.
- The countries called for the release of the detained Ukrainian workers.
The occupation and attacks on the energy sector have been linked to nuclear risks
The statement strongly condemns Russia’s actions, in particular its «irresponsible nuclear rhetoric» in the context of the war against Ukraine. The authors of the document also pointed out that Moscow continues to violate the principles of the Helsinki Decalogue and to disregard the security guarantees of the Budapest Memorandum.
The seizure and militarisation of the power station, as well as repeated large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, have, in the signatories’ view, significantly increased the risks to nuclear safety and security. The potential consequences could extend far beyond Ukraine’s borders.
The countries opposed the commissioning of the reactors and demanded the release of the workers
The signatories to the statement described any attempts to restart the reactors as unacceptable ZAES, whilst the station remains under Russian occupation. They also called for the immediate release of the Ukrainian staff at the station who have been arbitrarily detained by Russia.
Separately, the states called for increased pressure to be brought to bear on Moscow to bring an end to the war of aggression against Ukraine and to restore a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.
