Grossi Describes IAEA-Russia Cooperation on Zaporozhye Nuclear Plant Issues as 'Professional'

“I have said before and I would repeat to you that the cooperation is a professional cooperation, it is very professional at different levels. I am in constant contact with the [Russian] Foreign Ministry, with of course Rosatom and CEO of Rosatom Mr [Alexey] Likhachev, with the Russian nuclear regulator, so we are keeping in contact and exchanging constantly on technical aspects related to the plant,” Grossi said when asked to describe the IAEA’s cooperation with Russia on the Zaporozhye nuclear plant issues, including the logistically complex operation of the monthly rotation of experts.

Grossi told Sputnik that he discussed with Putin the condition of the nuclear plant but did not make any “warnings” about the danger of its rapid restart.

“No, I would never warn the president of the Russian Federation about anything. We discussed the state of the plant and various prospects under different scenarios. But there were no warnings or advice from my side in this sense. He has his vision as a head of state, and I, as an IAEA technical specialist, have my own - on different scenarios in reality.... No more, no less,” Grossi clarified.

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The New York Times ran an article on Wednesday recalling Grossi's visit to Russia in early March, during which the IAEA director general had talks with Putin. According to the publication, Grossi's goal during the meeting was, among other things, to “warn” the Russian leader about the dangers of restarting the nuclear plant too quickly.

The director general added that the sides discussed in general terms “what are the different possibilities of whether the nuclear plant can continue to operate in the same way as in the past or not.”

“But no specific scenario was considered,” he noted.

Grossi added that he expects to continue discussing the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant with Putin, as he considers this dialog “indispensable”.

"But clearly it was an indispensable dialog. This is a dialogue that has to be continued and it contains some confidential aspects, and it contains many important aspects, and I hope to be able to continue it, because it is indispensable. And I have a great appreciation for the possibility to exchange with the head of state [Putin] about something so serious like the situation at the nuclear power plant," Grossi said.

Putin held a meeting with Grossi on March 6 in Sochi. During the meeting, Putin said that Russia continues to actively cooperate with the IAEA on many issues.