IAEA: Rafael Grossi met Putin to talk about the Zaporizhia plant
Russian President Vladimir Putin listening to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi during their meeting in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday, October 11, 2022. AP - Pavel Bednyakov
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Russian President Vladimir Putin received this Tuesday, October 11 the director of the UN "gendarme" for nuclear power, the Argentinian Rafael Grossi, director of the IAEA.
In the background: the perilous situation in which the gigantic Ukrainian nuclear power plant of Zaporijjia finds itself.
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In St. Petersburg, Russia, Vladimir Putin spoke on Tuesday with Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
It was about the Ukrainian nuclear power plant of Zaporijjia, the largest in Europe, which the Russian troops monopolized during the conflict, and which finds itself since then in logics of dangerous bombardments.
For months, Russians and Ukrainians have accused each other of shooting in the area.
►Read again: Ukraine: the Zaporijjia nuclear power plant relies on emergency generators
During the discussion with the number one of the UN agency, the President of the Russian Federation “
opened to dialogue
” about the plant, militarily controlled by his country since March.
And Rafael Grossi reiterated his call to set up “
a protection zone
” there.
In a statement, the head of the IAEA insists that "
we must do everything in our power to prevent a nuclear accident
", describing the situation
as "increasingly dangerous
", "
with frequent military attacks that threaten nuclear security
.
Director General @rafaelmgrossi met today w/ 🇷🇺Pres.
Vladimir Putin as part of IAEA efforts to prevent a nuclear accident in Ukraine, stressing urgent need to establish a safety & security protection zone around #Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (#ZNPP).
https://t.co/7xnRQX6wgy pic.twitter.com/tbrfXk2DPo
— IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency (@iaeaorg) October 11, 2022
Turkey, given the geography, is also very attentive to the situation in Zaporizhia.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called for a ceasefire "
as soon as possible
".
A meeting between Messrs.
Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan are scheduled for Thursday in Kazakhstan.
Russia open to the idea of a Putin-Biden meeting at the G20
“
We have always said that we never refuse a meeting.
If there is a proposal, then we will study it.
Comment by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Russian public television on the idea of a possible meeting between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden.
Russia is open to a possible meeting between the Russian president and his American counterpart at the next G20 summit.
The Federation would consider this proposal, or any other format, if it were to be submitted to it.
Asked about the possibility of Turkey hosting such talks, the head of Russian diplomacy clarified that Russia was ready to hear any suggestions for peace talks, but that he could not commit in advance to the result of such a process.
During a press briefing, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that if Russia was serious about the talks, the first step would be to stop its "
brutal attack
" on the Ukraine.
"
We do not see this as a constructive and legitimate offer to engage in the dialogue and diplomacy that is absolutely necessary to end this brutal war of aggression
," he said.
With agencies
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Ukraine
IAEA
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Vladimir Poutine
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