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Statement by the MFA Regarding the Consideration by the IAEA Board of Governors of the Issue of Nuclear Safety in Ukraine

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

21 November 2025 13:56

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine welcomes the joint statement delivered at the 20 November meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, entitled "On the consequences of an unstable energy infrastructure critical for the safety and security of nuclear power plants in Ukraine".

The statement was supported by 56 IAEA Member States from different regions of the world, including the United States, once again confirming the universality of the international community's position regarding the nuclear safety and security risks resulting from Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. We are grateful to all states that supported the statement for their solidarity.

The joint statement rightly underscores that reliable off-site power supply is a key prerequisite for ensuring the nuclear safety of nuclear power plants. Deliberate Russian missile and drone strikes on high-voltage electrical substations, which the IAEA has identified as critical for guaranteeing off-site power supply to Ukrainian NPPs, are unacceptable.

Russian strikes on these substations not only destabilize Ukraine's energy system, but also intentionally eliminate redundancy levels that underpin the principle of "defence-in-depth" in nuclear safety. The aggressor state seeks to deprive Ukrainian nuclear power plants of multiple sequential safety layers, narrowing the operators' margin for safe response in emergency situations. This constitutes a deliberate creation by Russian terrorists of nuclear incident risks with transboundary consequences.

Responding to the joint statement of 56 IAEA Member States at the conclusion of the Board of Governors meeting, Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha emphasized that a principled international position helps deter further escalation, protect the global nuclear safety regime and increase the political cost of Russia's reckless attempts to weaponize energy and nuclear risks.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine highly values the resolute support of international partners at the IAEA and looks forward to further strengthening the broad coalition of states that consistently demand an end to Russian attacks on Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure. Ukraine calls on its allies to continue increasing international pressure on the aggressor state to compel it to cease nuclear blackmail, comply with its international legal obligations, and return the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to the control of its lawful owner, Ukraine. This is the only way to restore safety, prevent a nuclear catastrophe and uphold the fundamental principles of global nuclear safety and security.