On October 17, 2024, a thematic conference on radiation and nuclear safety was held in Paris as part of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Peace Formula. The conference participants called on Russia to immediately stop attacks on Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure, as these actions pose huge risks to the safety of nuclear power plants. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Energy, UNN reports.
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The event was organized by France in cooperation with Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Japan, and Sweden. The conference was attended by representatives of 70 countries and international organizations, both physically and online.
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The conference participants called on Russia to immediately stop attacks on Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure, as these actions pose huge risks to the safety of nuclear power plants. In particular, attacks by drones and missiles on Ukraine's energy facilities pose a risk of disconnecting external power to nuclear power plants, which could lead to emergencies at nuclear facilities.
We are deeply concerned about drone and missile attacks that jeopardize the safe operation of peaceful nuclear facilities. We reiterate our call on the Russian Federation to immediately cease attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure,
Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, who took part in the conference online, emphasized that the seizure of Zaporizhzhia NPP by Russia is an unprecedented violation of international law and nuclear safety principles. He emphasized the importance of restoring Ukraine's full control over all its nuclear facilities.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko has drawn attention to the fact that Russian missiles and drones regularly fly over Ukrainian nuclear power plants, posing a threat of a nuclear incident. According to him, strikes on energy infrastructure could cause large-scale power outages, which poses a direct threat to the country's nuclear safety.
Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, noted that the international community must ensure the protection of Ukraine's nuclear infrastructure and bring to justice those who threaten nuclear safety. He emphasized the need for coordinated international actions and support of the IAEA.
This conference was the fifth in a series of events held as a follow-up to the first Peace Summit. Participants supported the IAEA's assistance in monitoring nuclear safety at Ukrainian facilities and the development of a plan for the de-occupation and restoration of the Zaporizhzhia NPP in accordance with international safety standards. The results of this conference will serve as a basis for preparing proposals for the second Peace Summit, which will consider all ten points of the Peace Formula,