to consider appellate court nominations. everything also streams live on the c-span now video app which is free to download on your mobile device. >> >> c-span shop.org is c-span's store. shop products, apparel, books, home depot or, -- home to core. shop now or anytime at c-span shop.org. >> next international inspectors brief that you and security counsel on their findings of a ukrainian power plants. the agency found repeated schelling's has caused damage to the plants requiring the use of a lower voltage reserve line.

>> this is the 9124th meeting of the security council, called to order. the provisional agenda is the threat to international peace and security. the agenda is adopted in accordance with rule 37 of the provisional rules of procedure. i invite representatives of germany and ukraine to participate in this meeting. it is so decided. in accordance with rule 39 of the provisional rules of procedure, i invite the director general of the international atomic energy agency to

participate in this meeting. it is so decided. the security council will knock and -- well now begin consideration of item two of the agenda. i would like to invite secretary general antonio guterres, and give him the floor. >> mr. president, your excellency, thank you for having organized this meeting on the situation inside and around the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in the south of ukraine. i applaud the international atomic energy agency and the mission for their courage. let me also thank the parties for their cooperation.

i would leave it up to the director general to present what in and his team were able to observe during their stay. the secretary-general of the united nations as proudly supported the iaea and its essential mission in ensuring the safety of the nuclear power plant. i would like to thank all the colic so assisted them, in particular the 13 experts in charge of support and security and safety, who played a key role in order to allow the iaea to deploy successfully. >> i remain greatly concerned about the situation in and around the zaporizhzhia, including continued shelling. let's tell it like it is. any damage, whether intentional or not, to europe's largest nuclear power plant at zaporizhzhia or any other

nuclear facility in ukraine, could spark catastrophe not only for the immediate vicinity, but the region and beyond. all steps must be taken to avoid such a scenario. common sense and cooperation must guide the way forward. any action that might endanger the physical integrity, safety and security of the nuclear plant is unacceptable. all efforts to reestablish a plant is purely civilian infrastructure are vital. as first steps, ukrainian forces must commit not to engage any military activity towards the plant site or from the plant site. the zaporizhzhia facility and its surroundings must not be a platform for military operations. second, an agreement must be

secured that would include a commitment by russian forces to withdraw military personnel and equipment from the perimeter and a commitment by ukraine forces not to move into it. operators at the plant must be able to carry out their responsibilities, and communications must the maintain. now is time to urgently agree on concrete measures to ensure the safety of the area. regrettably, last month, the parties fell victim to the war in ukraine. a document sought to address the security and safety of nuclear power plant in armed conflict zones, but that conference failed to reach consensus. i appeal to all states to use every avenue of dialogue and diplomacy to make progress on this critical mission.

looking ahead, i trust that the iaea deployed to zaporizhzhia will be able to carry out their work without interference to ensure lasting security and safety at the plant. all of us as a stake in the success of their critical mission. let's commit to do everything we can to support them, and let us resolve to keep working for peace in light with international law and united nations charter. thank you. >> i think the secretary-general for his on -- for his introductory remarks. i now introduce mr. grossi. >> it is a pleasure for me to address the security council regarding the situation in ukraine, in particular a

pleasure to do it under the french presidency. >> i also want to thank the secretary-general for his presence. i saw him today as he was preparing his remarks to the remarkable work the u.n. gave to each of our personnel to the mark abu mission -- to the remarkable mission. sharing some very tense moments, i could see them aerobic dedication to the cause. thank you very much, secretary-general. we will continue, i hope, working together to bring stability to the nuclear facility in ukraine. today, you may have seen that i issued a comprehensive report from the mission had the honor to lead last week in ukraine,

and the visit to zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. this mission has been the result of a painstaking effort of close to six months, during which serious efforts were deployed to do just that, to be there with our inspectors to address a complete, comprehensive report of the situation to corroborate facts we have been observing for the last six months, but not stop there and also provide very complete recommendations based upon what we saw at the plant. the first important safety pillar that exists in any nuclear facility is not to violate its physical integrity.

unfortunately, as i had the opportunity to say during the briefing that took place on august 11, under the chinese presidency, this happened and this continues to happen, the physical attack, unwittingly or unwittingly -- wittingly are unwittingly. the hits that this facility has received and that i could personally assess with my experts is simply unacceptable. they are playing with fire. and something very, very catastrophic could take place. this is why, in our report, we are proposing the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone limited to the perimeter and the plant itself.

i am going to return to this point later. secondly, it is important to state that all safety and security systems and equipment should operate normally and unhindered and be fully functional. we observed that operators at the plant were operating under extremely challenging circumstances, together with military equipment and vehicles in different parts of it. our complete recommendation in this regard is that the military vehicles and meant that are currently present in buildings inside -- present inside buildings, inside nuclear buildings on the side, to be

removed so as not to interfere with operation of the new your safety and security systems the third pillar states that the operating staff must be able to perform their duties without undue pressures or difficult circumstances. this is something that has been addressed time and again during this crisis, especially since the plant was occupied last march. so, we could work together alongside the experts to the conclusion, which is in this specific recommendation in my report, that the operator should be allowed to return to its clear and routine line of responsibilities and authorities in -- and an appropriate work environment must be established,

including proper support for the staff. pillar number four refers to the off-site power supply. i also referred to this in the past and as you know, this is crucially important in the sense that a nuclear power plant without external power supply may lose crucial functionalities, including the cooling of their reactors and the spent fuel. without this, we could have a very serious nuclear accident. regarding this pillar, the iaea recommends that the off-site power supply line redundancy be reestablished and available at any time. for this to be possible, all military activities that may affect the power supply systems must be stopped immediately. the fifth pillar states that

there must be uninterrupted logistical supply chains and transportation to and from the site. you have to imagine that this nuclear power plant, as the secretary-general rightly reminded us, the biggest in europe, is a large industrial site requiring a constant flow of spare parts and other equipment. the situation is abnormally interrupted now in the face of this conflict. and our complete recommendations in this regard is that all the parties should completely ensure an effective supply chain. and in this regard, we would like to remind that through the iaea assistance and support

programs we have applied, for example at noble, the flow of supplies has been significantly reestablished, and a significant mechanism could be applied in zaporizhzhia. the sixth pillar refers to the function of the radiation monitoring systems, to know whether there is radiation in the atmosphere. we do have a sense of networks of monitoring equipment that have been affected. the complete sixth recommendation in our report indicates that the site should can -- should continue this functionality, including exercises which the iaea can help in ensuring. the seventh and final pillar states that there must be continued and reliable

communications with the regulator, the ukrainian regulator, and the others. we have seen repeatedly that these lines of communication have been interrupted. so, the iaea recommends in its seventh recommendation, corresponding to each of the seven pillars on the safety and security, that reliable and redundant communication channels be secured at all times. mr. president, the mission that took place last week, a historic one indeed, as divided us and the international community with a precious instrument in the presence of an iaea assessment and monitoring mission that could provide us all, today, with a comprehensive report that provides a neutral, impartial

and technical reading of the situation. but moreover, it is also of a norma's value -- enormous value that inspectors of the iaea have remained at the site. at the moment, the iaea, the united nations and the international community have the capacity to have direct operation of the situation on the ground, as may be the case. and this fact is unprecedented. in the past, when iaea inspectors were in places which had undergone difficult circumstances like fukushima or even armed conflict like in

iraq, it has always been up. it has always been to pick up the pieces, to remediate what had already happened. in this case, we have the historical and ethical imperative to prevent something from happening. and by having established this presence and by agreeing to special safety and security protection zones, we have the opportunity to prevent this from happening. as has been stated in the report, we are ready to consult quickly with the parties so that this measure can be a preliminary measure in the hopes that other measures could be agreed. but this is something that can

be done now. we have the inspectors they already, they are doing their work, we can agree on a very simple but incredibly necessary protective mechanism to avoid what is happening now, as we speak, which is the shelling of a nuclear power plant. let's cease this opportunity that is so fundamental for peace and security, and protect the populations of grain and beyond. i thank you very much, mr. president. >> i think mr. grossi for his briefing. i know give the floor to members of the security council and i would like to give the floor of the representative of the russian federation. >> mr. president, i think

secretary-general antonio guterres and the secretary-general of the iaea mr. rafael grossi, for their remarks. the mission at the zaporizhzhia plant was a responsible step by the iaea. we are happy that the visit enabled you and your team to assess the situation at zaporizhzhia and we see the seven pillars of security that you have formulated. the seven principles that you have formulated are being strictly adhered to by us. it is important that we heard that in your briefing on september 2. it is important that you could see that, thanks to cooperation between the staff at npp and the russian armed forces who are protecting the station, that it

is functioning normally and there are no threats to its security. you had an excellent opportunity to see that the only threats are created by the shelling's and sabotage -- shellings and sabotage from the ukrainian armed forces. that we see that in your conclusion made at the briefing, when you said the agency is most concerned by the physical security of the station and its integrity, and the risks for that having read because of shelling in august. we regret that in your report on the safeguarding ukraine in april and september of this year, which appeared a couple of hours ago, the source of shelling is not name. we do understand your position, as they had to open an international regulator. but in the current situation, it is very important to call things by their name. perhaps if this document was exclusively on the outcome of your visit to zaporizhzhia, your conclusions could have been clearer.

we need additional time to study the document. therefore, i am knocking to dwell on it. i simply ask you to please clarify it. what military equipment did you see during your visit to the zaporizhzhia npp? we are not sitting idly by and we did not allow reckless acts last month. we twice convinced a security council meeting on that and we tried to get to our western colleagues to explain that the shellings create real threat of disaster at the largest nuclear power plant in western europe. and we ask them to give thought to the people on the continent and rating their activities in kyiv. our appeal was not heated in the key of regime continue telling the npp. they are doing that today. i will turn to that later. we welcome the decision made by

iaea to establish a permanent presence of the agency at the station. this is a qualitative change. the iaea will now be able to, assess the situation in real time, given that two inspectors are at the npp to help their work anyway possible. i would like to underscore that since the beginning, we have been supporting iaea efforts to secure the security of nuclear facilities in ukraine. the russian side has done everything possible to make sure mr. grossi and team reached the npp safely to carry out their work and returned to vienna. this was pointed out by the representative of the secretary-general of the u.n. when he underscored that the russian federation had done everything necessary to ensure safety of the iaea who visited the zaporizhzhia npp. we would like to hear your

assessment, director general, to what extent is iaea satisfied with your interaction of the site. as we expected, the ukrainian side, having understood that they will not be able to use the iaea for their purposes, did everything to make sure the visit didn't happen. on september 1, the arm forces of ukraine, since 5:00 a.m., were conducting massive artillery shelling on the station and a town. they continued until the very last moment when the iaea team was on the way to the station. ukrainian artillery shelled the territory of zaporizhzhia, the place where the iaea met with russian specialists in the town, and the root of their movement. -- the route of their movement. four shells exploded four meters away from energy unit number one at the npp of this was a threat to life and safety in the

sector. that was not all. the kyiv regime continue day heinous provocation to take the station over by violent force right before the iaea at 6:00 a.m. on september 1. the reservoir saboteurs were direct -- reservoir saboteurs were directing themselves toward the station to create the impression that armed forces of ukraine were successful, so as to help the zelenskyy regime begged for more ornaments -- more armaments. they conducted armed hostilities around the station that could critically harm the station integrity. in the case that they had been successful, rafael grossi and the team have become a human shield of ukrainian saboteurs. this was stopped by the russians and the vigilance of the locals.

a meeting with the representative of the iaea only took place at noon, four hours than planned -- four hours later than planned. they were willing to work under ukrainian fire. we would like to ask you, director general, what was the impact on your work of the attempt by ukrainian armed forces to abort the mission? how can you comment on these activities by the ukrainian side in the context of threats to safety and security of the station and staff? i would like to address a similar question to the secretary-general. the staff were part of the iaea missions dealing with safety and security and it was their duty to assess the situation and know about everything that could create a risk for. did you or your staff talk about the risks created for the

mission by the ukrainian side? it is disappointment with the iaea visit. zelenskyy's advisor said all this mediation is very ineffective and extremely cowardly, extremely unprofessional. and of quote. according to him, the mission was never ready to work in extreme conditions. the characteristic of this ukrainian government employed the international go she ate her's and said we don't trust them from the start. and of quote. -- en of quoted iaea could provide expertise into ours but bowed up not to give up on the plans does write the fact that iaea representatives were the

station on september 2 and the kyiv regime made another and access flipped to capture the station which was foiled by russian forces. the kyiv regime continues to attack the station almost every day. on september 3, armed forces of ukraine used drones with suspended munitions and thanks to our russian armed forces, the drones hearing the station were blocked, they were forced to drop their grenades in deserted areas more than 1.5 kilometers away from the station. on september 4, ukrainian forces used a combat uav to strike. as of a -- as a result of what was done by russian armed forces, the drone crashed one kilometer away from the npp. on september 5, there was another shelling by the ukrainians of the npp. one of them hit the roof of building number one, fuel

assembly and solid radioactive waste. according to the information from the minister of defense, the shelling of the station was conducted of the other side of the reservoir, namely from towns under the control of ukrainian armed forces. the ukrainian attacks resulted in the fact that out of seven electric lines, five are damaged. we call on the members of the security council and you and leadership to condemn these provocations by the kyiv regime aimed not only at the staff of the station, but against international civil servants, iaea staff. the human shield by ukrainian armed forces [indiscernible] today, there was five artillery shelling's on that place. we know that the citizens gave you a collective appeal and

were asking that this be stopped. this was covered widely in mass media and you did say would do everything we -- everything you can. we would like you to dwell on detail on this -- what is your impression from your interaction of the people -- with the people of the area? we do everything we can to continue to make sure that the zaporizhzhia operates safely. so far, the radiation situation at the station is normal, but provocations by the kyiv regime continue and there is no guarantee there won't be serious consequences. responsibility for that lies fully with kyiv ended western backers and other members of the security council who so far have not found it in themselves to have the courage to call things their proper name. i call on kyiv to stop its reckless acts against the zaporizhzhia npp. we expect today that security council members will have enough

courage to do that so as to prevent they potential radiation disaster. thank you. >> i think the representative of the russian federation for his statement and i know give the floor to the united states. >> thank you, mr. president. thank you, secretary-general gutierrez and director general grossi. we appreciate your support to ensure the operational safety and security of the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, despite russia's ongoing attacks and refusal silence its guns and withdraw from ukraine so the situation can be resolved peacefully. let us commend the parties resolved in facilitating the visit of the international atomic energy agency team. the visit allowed them to carry out important ongoing work,

despite the increasingly dangerous situation with the zaporizhzhia facility. the u.s. welcomes the technical report on the iaea's mission to the zaporizhzhia facility. we support continued, unhindered and safe iaea access to the facility. it is essential that russia allow ukrainian operators to implement any and all measures the iaea team and ukrainian operators deem important for the safe and secure operation of the plant, to decrease the risk of a nuclear incident. colleagues, this is a matter of international nuclear safety and security. the potential danger is enormous . it concerns us all. we support ukraine's call for demilitarization of the area surrounding the zaporizhzhia

facility. and we demand russia's immediate withdrawal from ukraine's sovereign territory. spike russia's song and dance to avoid acknowledging responsibility for its actions, russia has no right to expose the world to unnecessary risk and possibility of nuclear catastrophe. this is a situation entirely of russia's making. the current danger at zaporizhzhia is a result of rush's unprovoked and unlawful invasion of ukraine and a result of russia's premeditated march 4 seizure of this plant. the international community called for russia to avoid the nuclear plant. it said russian troops struck and seized the facility, jeopardizing the iaea's seven pillars of nuclear safety and security progressive continues to conduct operations around the plant. every day russia controls the

plant increases the risk of a nuclear incident. over the weekend, shelling again led to disconnection of an external power line, putting at risk the plant's operations. while we understand the plant is currently generating enough power to operate its cooling systems, russia's continued military presence in the area continue to put the plant and the region in serious danger. we urge russia to end all military operations at or near ukraine's nuclear facilities and to return full control to ukraine. the iaea's report instead details conditions drastically increasing stress and duress on the operators, thus dramatically raising the risk of human ever. the report notes continued combat operations in the vicinity and the installation of

military equipment and personnel within the plant, which also contribute to the risk of nuclear disaster. i want to mention here that we join the director general in commending the staff at all nuclear facilities for their resilience and endurance in keeping the site running in a safe and secure way amidst the conflict. mr. president, the media was recently told our biggest challenges that we can't predict what is going to happen tomorrow, or even if there's going to be a tomorrow. another ukrainian citizen was quoted as saying, all of us are just scared all the time. i am old, i have diabetes, if anything happens, i will only have time to lie on the floor and close my eyes. no one should have to live like this. there is no excuse for the

unnecessary risk of a nuclear incident. no one should be questioning if there will be a tomorrow. the plant and the electricity it produces belong to ukraine. any attempt by russia to disconnect the zaporizhzhia nuclear plant from ukraine and direct the power it generates toward russia would be highly provocative, selfish and shortsighted. we reject all efforts by russia to use ukraine's electric grid as a pawn in this unjustified war. and ukraine's nuclear power plant as a military shield or deployment site. russia is responsible for this crisis and it can resolve it now. the solution is not complicated the russian federation must end its reckless behavior and immediately withdraw its troops, not only from the area surrounding zaporizhzhia, but from all of you great -- of

ukraine. wry cynicism from russia claiming profound concern about the risk of catastrophe will not cut it. the fastest way to fix this is for washer to withdraw -- for russia to withdraw immediately. unfortunately, the russian federation showed its true colors when it obstructed the outcome of the nuclear nonpareil filet should treaty. russia alone blocked consensus on a final document -- nuclear nonproliferation treaty. russia alone blocked consensus on a final document for the safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy, the exact issues the npt are called upon to address. this lack of commitment to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy calls into question russian reliability as a supplier of nuclear material, equipment and technology.

the world's response from the npt says the world has called on russia to end all military activity near the zaporizhzhia and return full control of the facility to ukraine. now is the time for russia to listen, before it is too late. as the toll of this conflict on civilians grows even higher, i hope each of us, on behalf of the countries we represent, will underscore in this chamber that russia must silence its guns, withdraw from ukraine and embrace diplomacy. general statements of concern or appeal to all parties will not help resolve this crisis. all parties are not responsible for the situation. russia is, and it is incumbent on russia to show now, with its actions, that it respects the u.n. charter by respecting

ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity. thank you, mr. president. >> i think the representative of the united states for his statement. i now give the floor to the representative of the united kingdom. >> thank you, president, secretary general, thank you, director general grossi. i would like to commend iaea director general grossi and his staff or their visit to zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant challenging circumstances. we welcome the iaea's ongoing presence there. i also offer my thanks to ukraine for helping to facilitate this visit. the iaea has assessed that the physical integrity of the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been violated several times.

but with the publication of today's report, the iaea has confirmed the presence of russian military personnel, vehicles and equipment in the plant. we understand that in some cases, russian military equipment has been as close as 60 meters from the nuclear reactors. the report also confirms the immense stress and pressure under which the brave ukrainian staff at this plant are operating. they are no longer workers, but hostages, being held at gunpoint. by choosing to invade a nuclear

power plant and putting zaporizhzhia in the crossfire, russia is playing roulette with nuclear safety. as long as russia's occupation of the plant continues, its safe and secure operation cannot be insured. any measures to address nuclear safety at the plant should therefore involve the full withdrawal of russian troops and personnel. mr. president, this is the third meeting that russia is called on this issue in recent weeks. but we should be under no illusion -- the situation at zaporizhzhia is entirely of russia's making. it is russia's invasion that has

disrupted the operation of nuclear facilities across ukraine. it is russia that is jeopardizing the safety of millions in the region who would be affected by a nuclear incident. and it is russia that can resolve the situation by immediately withdrawing its forces from zaporizhzhia, and all of ukraine, and ceasing its senseless and reckless aggression. thank you, president. >> i think the representative of the united kingdom for her statement. i know give the floor to the representative of brazil. >> thank you, mr. president. allow me to start by expressing our appreciation to the secretary-general for his breathing, and the director general of the iaea for the

visit of his team to zaporizhzhia, and for his report. last week, the iaea mission to the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was a positive development amid a conflict in which moments of good news have been few and far between. the presence of the agency's inspectors allows us to grasp the real dimension of the risks to the safety of those nuclear installations, and avoiding a nuclear catastrophe must be a priority for all parties. this conflict has already resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions. we find it extremely concerning that the physical integrity of the plant has been violated

repeatedly in recent weeks. even more worrying is the fact that the prospect of an iaea mission was not enough to stop the bombings. brazil reiterates its appeal for the immediate suspension of all actions that could jeopardize the security of zaporizhzhia before the damage to the plant results in irreparable consequences to human life, to the environment and the safety of the region. in this context, we note recommendations addressed by director general raffaella grossi to the parties -- rafael grossi to the parties. attacks on nuclear facilities dedicated to peaceful purposes constitute violations of the

u.n. charter, of international law, and of the statutes of the iaea. we remind the parties of their responsibilities under multilateral instruments such as the convention on nuclear safety, the joint convention on the safety of spent fuel and the convention on the physical inspection of nuclear material. we expect rationality will prevail and that fears of a nuclear disaster may be avoided. thank you. >> i think the representative of brazil for his statement. i now give the floor to the representative of albania. >> thank you, mr. president and let me also thank the secretary-general and the director general of the iaea, director grossi, for their leadership on this important issue.

overnight, without any reason, the iaea inspection team was able to convert -- able to conclude its first inspection mission of the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant despite extremely challenging circumstances. we think them and welcome their report. we understand this is iaea's most challenging field mission since chernobyl. the presence of iaea experts at the plant is reassuring and a relief, even though the findings and what we heard from the dg today are very worrying. actually, they are alarming. this is entirely consistent with the conclusion the fighting around the nuclear power plant would only increase the risk. [indiscernible] the security of the zaporizhzhia

nuclear power plant in ukraine has been violated several times and military activities continue. it is common knowledge now that the seven safety pillars essential to maintaining nuclear safety and security which the dg recalled here today have been compromised at the power plant. this is unacceptable. the presence of russian military forces at the nuclear power plant is illegal. it events the operator and the ukrainian authorities from fulfilling their nuclear safety obligations in coordination with international conventions and iaea safety standards. as was stated by the iaea board of governors, russian military presence at you nuclear facilities significantly raises the risks of new your accidents.

the iaea report today confirms our worries expressed more than a month ago, that ukrainian staff under russian military operation are under constant type press -- high stress -- are under constant high stress and pressure. this is unacceptable. just a few weeks ago, the 10th conference was not able to adopt a final document, an instance where diplomacy failed in its core mandate. we want to know who stood alone, in complete isolation, stubbornly holding off the entire world which had come together to recognize the importance of npp and its pillars. it is not a surprise that we here and every nuclear expect in the world are right to be worried about the reckless

actions that the russian army made may accidentally or willingly lead to a cascade of events that would threaten ukraine, its population, not only its neighbors but europe and beyond. there -- the situation is clear and there is no room for a blame game or distorted narratives as we have heard today. we know we need to tackle the very source of the problem. what is the business of russia to attack, overrun, occupy and militarize a nuclear power plant in another country? who is responsible in the first place for this? why hasn't russia answered the call for demilitarized the power plant that legally belongs to ukraine and agreed to establish

a secure perimeter to avoid the unthinkable? a clear and straightforward answer to these questions would provide clarity to us here and to all those worried. we reiterate our call to the russian federation to withdraw its military forces and all other unauthorized personnel from the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and its immediate surroundings so that the ukraine operator can resume its sovereign responsibility to conduct their duties without outside interference, threats, or harsh working conditions. we are worried that widespread infrastructure damage, a ferocious feature of the ongoing russian attack on ukraine and loss of power supply which has happened more than once, in the repeated switch off of reactors, increases the threat of fire at the plant, which would in turn

damage the cooling systems and lead to a nuclear melt down. this is dreadful. albania condemns any act of violence inside or around the nuclear power plant or its personnel. we support the effort by the ie ae by the iaea -- the effort by the iaea to secure a perimeter around the plant. we must not be turned into a military garrison or a platform for military activity. playing with nuclear safety is playing with fire that could burn millions and have catastrophic consequences for the environment. thank you.

>> i think the representative of albania for his statement. i now give the floor to the representative of ireland. >> thank you, mr. president and i would like to thank the secretary-general and in director general rosie for their briefings. we welcome the iaea assistance mission to zaporizhzhia and i thank both the iaea and the one for the manner in which the mission has been conducted. we welcome the director general's recommendation and commitment to the ongoing iaea presence at the plant. they iaea -- the iaea has a key role in assisting ukraine to uphold nuclear safety in the country in the face of russia's invasion. we are deeply concerned by the situation at the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, including the ongoing military activity in shelling around the plant.

we support the secretary-general's call for the militarization of the area around the plant. the fact that the plant lost connection to the main ukrainian grade raises serious concerns. we urgently call and russia to stop its efforts to disconnect the plant, which creates a significant risk of a catastrophic radiological incident at the plant. the director general has clearly set out the importance of the seven pillars of nuclear safety and security and how these are being flouted at zaporizhzhia do to russian actions. we call in russia and indeed all states to commit themselves to these seven pillars for all nuclear facilities, including in situations of armed conflict. we have to be perfectly clear -- the issues at zaporizhzhia arise solely from the unjust and unprovoked war raised by russia against ukraine. reckless actions by the russian

military and their forcible caesar of the new your power plant have already demonstrated their utter disregard for nuclear safety and security. let me reiterate -- if russia is serious about safety at the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant come it will end its illegal occupation of the site, withdraw its troops and munitions. this is essential so that ukrainian authorities together with the iaea can improve responsibility for safety and security at the site. russia must withdraw from the full territory of ukraine and respect territorial integrity of its neighbors. thank you. >> >> i think the representative of ireland for their statement. i give the floor to the representative of norway. >> thank you, president. i think the secretary-general and the director general of the iaea for their timely and

alarming briefings. the importance of the iaea mission to zaporizhzhia power and the agencies continued presence cannot be overstated. they're ash -- their professional mission helps us understanding the plant. ukrainian staff under severe circumstances continue to occupy the plant under occupation from russian forces. we call on russia to return for -- full control to ukrainian operator. one clear line of ukrainian operation control and authority is vital. the safety and security situation of the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has deteriorated solely because of the russian aggression. it's totally unacceptable that the nuclear facility has been used in the ongoing russian war

against ukraine. we appreciate the iaea summary report with recommendation released earlier today. the iaea is identified in urgency to prevent a nuclear accident arising from the critical damage caused by military means. as the director general has explained, this can be achieved by the immediate establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection. we reaffirm the importance of the seven pillars of the nuclear safety and security of -- applied by the iaea's director general. we support the agency and helping ensure the limitation of these pillars in ukraine. echo his concerns including for the physical integrity, for staff conditions at the plant. nuclear facilities should not be used for military activities or

the storage of military materials. we remain concerned that russia seizure of a nuclear power plant is a means of taking hostage of a central electricity supply to the civilian population of ukraine. the electricity generated at the zaporizhzhia rightfully belongs to the people of ukraine. any attempt to disconnect the plant from the ukrainian grid is unacceptable. russia must immediately rejoin forces in and around the zaporizhzhia powerplant and all other ukrainian nuclear facilities. the ongoing attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure have a devastating and unacceptable impact. russia's illegal war and unprovoked aggression has caused terrible suffering for the people of ukraine and beyond, including by aggravating global food insecurity, affecting the most vulnerable the hardest.

let me end by reiterating that norway condemns russia's choice to wage this war in the strongest possible terms. the russian federation must immediately rejoin forces from within ukraine's internationally recognized orders. this is the only sustainable solution to the many issues we are discussing today. i thank you, president. >> i think representative from norway for her statement and i give the floor to the representative of india. >> president let me begin by thanking be secretary-general for his comprehensive briefing and the director general iaea, force update on the recent report from the team on the zaporizhzhia powerplant. india attaches high importance to ensuring the safety and security of nuclear facilities in ukraine, as any accident involving nuclear facilities could potentially have severe consequences for public health

and the environment. in this regard we appreciate the iaea team, and continue to carefully follow developments regarding the safety and security of ukraine's power reactors and facility. we have noted that the iaea will have a continued presence. we have high priority the discharge by the iaea of a safeguard in monitoring activities in accordance to a statute, nondiscriminatory and efficient manner. we rally the efforts of the agency in this regard. with a view of not endangering the safety of nuclear facilities and personnel working there, we reiterate our cause for strict neutral restraint. india continues to remain concerned over the situation in ukraine, since the beginning of the conflict, india has consistently called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and end violence. we have called about -- called

on both sides on the path of diplomacy and dialogue. support diplomatic efforts to end conflict. we welcome the secretary-general's initiative to open the exports of grain from ukraine through the black sea and the facilitation of exports of russian food and fertilizers. these efforts demonstrate that differences can be resolved through sustained dialogue and disposing -- diplomacy which has been the consistent position of india. we continue to reiterate that the global order be anchored on international law, the u.n. charter, and respect of the territories integrity and sovereignty of state. >> i thank representative from india for their statement. i give the floor to the united emirates. >> mr. president, on the offset i would like to think the secretary-general and iaea

rector for their briefings would also like to take this opportunity to extend the iaea --attitude to the iaea who visited the zaporizhzhia powerplant for their professionalism and dedication under difficult circumstances. the iaea mission was a crucial first step in assessing the safety and security of ukraine's nuclear facilities. iaea, with the cooperation extended from both parties made this visit possible and allowed access to the powerplant. we hope the constructivist spirit of technical cooperation on all matters related to the operation and protection of the zaporizhzhia powerplant will continue to prevail. such add -- corporation will be extended to all other nuclear facilities throughout ukraine. at the same time, we echo the concerns of the director and the iaea in its report issued today

that the physical integrity of the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been violated several times. as the report highlights, it is important that measures are in place to prevent a nuclear accident that could arise from physical damage to the plant. in this respect, recent news that the plant was again, disconnected from the power grid, caused by shelling is a source of serious concern. this demonstrates that even with iaea's presence at the plant, de-escalation remains creek important to guarantee its safety -- critically important to guarantee his safety. disruption of the external power supply to the plant in any incident undermining the safety and security of its staff could have disastrous consequences and is unacceptable. nuclear plants such as zaporizhzhia are afforded special protection under international humanitarian law. these protections must the respected. the risks of a nuclear disaster are simply too great and the

consequences, do terrible. -- too terrible. the iaea supports the nuclear safety and security articulated by the iaea and calls on both parties on the conflict to ensure that they are respected. it is alarming that the report today confirmed that all seven pillars have been compromised. the safe operation of the zaporizhzhia powerplant is crucial, not only because of the dire effects of a potential nuclear incident, but also because of the critical need of its regular supply of power for civilians. it's all the more so with winter approaching. going forward, the continued presence of international inspectors from the iaea will remain intentional, to stabilize the situation at the zaporizhzhia powerplant. we welcome the iaea commitment to remain on the ground, while

at the same time undertaking periodic technical visits. ultimately, the parties to the conflict and the international community must work towards a return to normalcy as soon as possible. the most crucial steps for this is the cessation of hostilities and a diplomatic and this conflict. all of us on this council must do all we can to stop word every effort to this end. thank you, mr. president. >> i think be represented of the united arab emirates for his statement, i give the floor to the representative. >> thank you mr. president i would like to thank the secretary general iaea for information on zaporizhzhia and the secretary-general, for useful information that they provided on the situation. we note with interest the

deployment on site of iaea experts foreign expection mission and to ensure that that facilities function normally. we took note of the state of play, and his recommendations and we are confident in the team on the ground and we will remain focused on zaporizhzhia. me, nonetheless, remain concerned, there were several violations of the physical integrity and disruptions in electricity supply. the risk of a nuclear accident clearly have not yet been limited or mastered, control is crucial and urgent to restore the physical integrity of the powerstation. we condemn any and all use of threat to use a nuclear facility

for military purposes. the possibility of a nuclear accident would -- with catastrophic consequences should in no way be used as a weapon of war. we therefore, call once again, for cessation of any and all the terry activity -- military activity near the npp. parties of the conflict have to abstain from the nuclear site. we called for an impartial investigation to establish responsibility for all military activity, where it is damaging to nuclear facilities. recall parties of the conflict half to abide by the existing rules of nuclear facilities in cooperation with iaea that is transparent to make sure the site is safe. we cannot be satisfied with half measures given the scope of the danger. mr. president, we will never

stop saying that it is time to make sure that piece is at the heart of our priorities in ukraine in addition to the efforts to make sure the world is not witnessing a nuclear disaster. negotiations have to continue to put an end to the war. we encourage all initiatives aimed at parties to negotiating tables to stop the hostilities. there is no other alternative, there is no better way than peaceful coexistence. my country will disassociate itself from any attempt to use the council for any means other than looking for peace and security internationally. we encourage all political and diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the escalation, silencing the arms and arriving to an agreement for lasting peace between the two parties.

a nuclear disaster will be an extremely attempt at collective peace and security. it is in the name of this common destiny we urge the parties to display and show goodwill, commitment and perseverance as well as looking for peace. i thank you. >> i think the representative from gabon. would like to give the floor to the representative of china. >> thank you, mr. president. would like to thank the secretary general, and the director for the briefing. safety and security, at the nuclear power plant has been nerve-racking for the international community. it has been the unanimous expectation to facilitate an iaea field visit at the plant as soon as possible. as to the cooperation of of russia and ukraine, the director general and his cops, or able to

make a successful visit, which helps to obtain an objective in the operation in damage to the nuclear facility and to take targeted action. china is pleased with this positive development and recognizes the efforts of the director and the staff of the iaea and u.s. secretary. despite repeated warnings and appeals from the international community, the shelling of the zaporizhzhia continuous, even after -- continues even after the iaea arrived, the shelling did not take a break. this is truly worrying. colleagues, the chernboyl nuclear accident -- chernobyl, nuclear accident, the fukushima accident did not dissipate. the world cannot afford another

nuclear disaster. once again, remain ready for medication, cooperation, and abide by the nuclear safety, the strict implement of the seven pillars proposed by the director. to ensure the safety and security of nuclear facilities and refrain from repeated paths of -- now, the resident experts provide continuous support to guarantee the safety and security of the nuclear facilities. we encourage the agency to maintain its communication with relevant parties. mr. president, since the outbreak of the crisis in

ukraine, the threat to the safety and security of nuclear power plants, and armed conflict has kept the world under the inspection of a nuclear disaster. we cannot afford to take any chances,k we must do our best -- we must do our best to avoid accidents. the international community should step up diplomatic efforts to promote negotiations between the parties, achieve a cease fire, and halt writing as soon as possible. -- fighting as soon as possible. we promote the escalation of the situation, work to find a peaceful solution in ukraine, work together to build regional peace and it turned quality and maintain global security and stability. thank you mr. president.

>> i give the floor to the representative of mexico. >> mr. president, i would like to think secretary-general for's of the director general of the iaea four briefing us on a visit of the nuclear power plant. i would like to start by acknowledging agreement between the parties and the experts between the iaea to conduct a technical expection of the nuclear power plant as well as the fact that two of them are remaining permanently at the power plan and will continue to monitor conditions on the ground. this is extremely important.

so that the agency can continue to rely on the information in real-time that is objective, reliable and independent. as we have stated earlier together with others in this counsel ensuring the smooth operations and security, the other powerpoint is essential to avoid a disaster with extremely severe humanitarian causes not only for ukraine, but for neighboring countries and ultimately for the entire world. we would also like to acknowledge the united nations department of safety and security for the logistical support and security they provided to the iaea mission during its visit to zaporizhzhia . once again, we call on avoiding any action that puts at risk the

integrity and the operation of the nuclear power plant and to guarantee the integrity of the international experts of the iaea. whom we trust for their professionalism, expertise, and impartiality. the information we were receiving, the seven pillars of nuclear security safety are not being fully respected in zaporizhzhia according to what director grossi told us. we would like to reiterate that any pact against the nuclear installation is unacceptable violation of international law and the statute of the iaea. we urge the agency to continue sharing with the counsel any

relevant information on the situation on the ground. we hope that soon the conditions around the nuclear power plant improve in order to ensure its security and safety. we hope the visit of the mission of the iaea and its presence at the nuclear power plant, we hope this contributes to early negotiations that put an end to all the estill eddies in ukraine -- hostilities in ukraine. in the face of the risk we are facing of a nuclear disaster, mexico would like to reiterate its commitment to do everything that it can, in order to promote a diplomatic solution and and the war. thank you very much mr. president. i think the representative of mexico for his statement and i now give the floor to the representative of ghana. >> thank you, mr. president.

i would like to begin at the -- by thinking be secretary general and the director grossi for this important report of the state of play. russia held the zaporizhzhia power plant. it reinforces our continuing concern about the rapidly rising risk of exposure, resulting from the militarization of the zaporizhzhia power plant and its surrounding environments. following the 25th of august which led to the temporary loss of the main power supply the nuclear reactors, we are concerned of the npp's name connecting to the power grid on such a day, due to schilling's. these incidents compromise the cooling of the plant and have a

risk of reactive exposure, which would result in catastrophic levels of harm the environment, the climate, and ukraine. the consequences for our continent. the the accusations of both parties have been unhelpful to the situation. it only serves to deepen the mistrust and rift between them. endangering the safety of the plant. we therefore, report the iaea's decision, there is an urgent need for interim measures to prevent a nuclear reaction arising, due to damage caused by military action. we also indulge the two-step approach, indicated by the secretary-general in his statement to the council this afternoon. in this regard, ghana supports

the professional leadership of the director general and the engagement of the iaea to undertake verification and safeguarding measures to ensure that the integrity of the nuclear power plant in accordance to the seven pillars of nuclear safety and security. we support all efforts to restore the nuclear plant and welcomed the establishment of a continuing presence of the iaea, port assistance mission to the zaporizhzhia. and end of the war, cooperating to the mission to the fullest extent, as we work towards the objective of the militarizing the zaporizhzhia power plant and all other nuclear zones in ukraine. we reaffirm our position on the peaceful use of nuclear energy and urge the parties to take concrete measures in an

international obligation to preserve the nuclear site. we underscore the humanitarian law the protection of civilians from harm and civilian infrastructure damage from war. we welcome the key initiatives, we have undertaken under several levels in livelihoods of the ukraine people, the global economy, and the food and energy supply chains. we know that such responses cannot replace ending the war. for this reason we strongly urge, the active message of compliance is dano solution to the war -- and sustainable solutions to the war. russia federation, ought the immediate forces from the internationally recognized ukraine to pave the way for

meaningful engagement between the parties. have the continued support of this counsel an international community in finding an early comprehensive and lasting solution to this unjust attack. and give people sovereignty and ukraine. i thank you. >> i thank representative of ghana for his statement and i now give the floor to the representative of kenya. >> thank you, mr. president. i think the secretary-general guterres and and mr. rafael g rossi, weather briefing. -- for their briefing. and the extreme sensitivity and gratitude of the -- gravity of this matter and endeavor to avert what could be the worst yet in the war in ukraine.

enea -- kenya aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapon and technology to further the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of disarmament. we are concerned that any attack, accidental or on purpose, on any nuclear installation will activate and deploy them, as nuclear weapons, with catastrophic consequences. kenya is deeply concerned about the security situation in ukraine, particularly the zaporizhzhia plant. there are alarming reports of shelling at the nuclear site in recent weeks and days. kenya welcomes the presence of the iaea support in zaporizhzhia . we urge that they receive full

support and cooperation to accomplish their assignment. we reiterate our call on the parties concerned to exercise restraint, refrain from action that may compromise nuclear security and spare no effort to minimize the possibility of a nuclear incident. in this regard, we welcome the seven pillars articulated by the director general of the iaea, in particularly -- in particular those called by the secretary-general for demilitarized perimeters around the new clear facility. kenya continues to call for decision of paying the people of ukraine from further suffering. -- sparing the people of ukraine from further suffering. i thank you. >> i thank the representative

from kenya from -- four statement. i will now make a statement to my capacity from their presented of of france. i would like to think the secretary-general as well as the director general of the iaea for their statements. the 24th of february this year, trampling the u.n. charter and all of the principles of international law, russia assaulted and invaded ukraine. the consequences of this illegal and unjustified war can be seen in every possible domain, humanitarian, food supply, energy supply, nuclear. let us not adverse the responsibility. none of these multiple challenges would exist if russia

had not launched this war. none of them. the solution to each one of these issues requires the return to respect for international law as demanded by the international court of justice started from the 16th of march and the return to full sovereignty to ukraine. one of these challenges is the assault on ukraine by russia, exposes us to the severe risk to ukrainian nuclear facilities, the actions of the russian near the power plant and occupation year the power plant significantly increases the risk of an accident. the situation represents an unexcelled bowl risk -- unacceptable risk for ukraine but europe for a whole. there is a responsibility. it is russia that must answer for it, by withdrawing its

troops from the powerplant and from all of ukrainian territory. russia is trying to accuse the adversary. borussia is acting as -- but russia is acting as one who sets fires and distributes how to fight it. france has been mobilized at the highest level in order to facilitate the deployment of experts of the iaea to the zaporizhzhia powerplant. president macron and the foreign minister expressed their full support for him, france welcomes the holding of this mission which is a first encouraging and necessary step. to make sure the mission takes

place in the best possible condition. the inclusion shared by the agency are very concerning, several times over the past few days the powerplant was disconnected from the electric grid. the last operational reactor of the nuclear power plant was disconnected temporarily due to a fire. the director general stated that the physical integrity of the powerplant was violated several times. this cannot continue. in the face of this urgent situation it is imperative that the strikes in shelling and proximity, from this nuclear power plant, cease. all russian military personnel must be withdrawn from the nuclear power plant. we are calling for a demilitarization, ukrainian personnel who are operating the nuclear power plant must be able to carry its mission without threats or any pressure. ukrainian sovereignty over the nuclear power plant must be

respected. russia must return full control to ukraine as well as return control to all nuclear installations of ukraine to the craniums. -- ukrainians. france applauds and continues to support the efforts of the director general of the iaea. we welcome the the termination of the agency to establish a presence on the side of the new bear powerplant to deal with issues of security, safety and guarantees it's important for the agency to conduct its mission with safe conditions without any interference. i now back to my role as president of the council and i give the floor back to mr. grossi, to react to any comments that have been spread by members of the council. you have the floor. >> thank you mr. president.

all the comments that nations have about of the work we have carried out, they are tremendous source of encouragement for to work we are undertaking -- for the work we are undertaking. the purpose of all of this, work is not due's reports only, though reports are the dispensable basis for some political action to get things done and to improve a situation. i am grateful for the recognition of the seven pillars. also, for the widespread support to our idea and our initiative to establish an interim measure

in terms of protecting the safety and security of the powerplant to protection zones. the russia situation was having more complete questions. but i would think that in -- the actions that led to the mission and how they facilitated it. this took a lot of effort from all sides. i am really grateful of the fact that, if we go to the beginning of the year, and even after that, the demand followed. there were moments that there were lots of -- in terms of the characteristics in many other things, even logistics and

finally the the nominator in -- denominator in arriving to the conclusion that it was received, that was the case. my recognition is those who made it possible, some distinguished ambassadors and alligators -- delegation. what is important is what counts, what i'm saying in the report, i will be approaching relevant parties with some concrete elements for there consideration to try to move forward in the next logical step after these important ones, which is to establish immediate protection to the plant. i'm always at the disposal of the council and the

secretary-general. again, a big thank you for the support. we will continue to count on your support for our personnel, and the facility that remains there, which will have to be the can off the plant -- taken off the plant and the rotations we will establish. we have dedicated people. are going to be able to do this. . my indication, my urge, my appeal, is to work together, to work together on the protection of the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, for the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection. the iaea will be conducting, all sides, very soon, with complete steps for your consideration.

i thank you very much mr. president. >> i think mr. -- thank grossi mr. ash -- mr. grossi. >> distinguished members of the secret counsel, i recognize the representative of the terrorist state of russia. i think the secretary-general for his participation in today's meeting. i would like to thank the iaea, the director general, for his informative a briefing. it is a matter of regret that russia has attempted to misuse the security council toolbox for diverting the attention of the international community from the urgent need to occupy the ukrainian nuclear facility.

the russians have turned into a military base. it is interesting in this to observe, in this chamber, how the russian envoy winds that he has not had time to properly study -- whines that he is not had time to properly study the report, as if it is not russia itself that called in such an urgent manner this meeting. may i suggest, that the only thing that explains these russian bustle is an attempt to exercise russia on director general grossi and his team while they were still drafting the report. and when the plan failed, due to 24/7 work of the iaea and due to the fact that the report has been issued today before the

meeting, the russian envoy desperately has tried to manipulate the report as he himself admitted, he didn't have time to study. my use of advice -- piece of advice, two pieces of advice to the russian envoy. first, next time be patient. do not bustle. second, not put words in my governments mouth. it is my role speak on behalf of my government in the chamber and it will never be yours. mr. president, background to

increase the occupation of the zaporizhzhia powerplant, ukraine has demonstrated its readiness to explore every option to neutralize a nuclear and avert horrific consequences. following numerous violations of nuclear safety and security colors of the occupied sites, the ukrainian leadership requested to conduct of the iaea led international mission. with an option to establish its permanent presence at the site until the competent ukrainian authorities regain full control of the facility. despite various russian provocations on of the mission, crane exerted every effort to ensure the mission -- ukraine exerted every effort to ensure

the mission was possible and operate safely. the preparation of the visit have revealed that they are willing to engage in nuclear and spare no effort to reduce the iaea four manipulative purposes. ukraine appreciated bravery and professionalism of the iaea missions experts. however, the visit was the first step only. the npp remains on the occupation. the russian military equipment and weapons are still deployed at the site. on provocations continue, illegally representatives interfere in the technological process of the plant's management. the only way to ultimately remove the nuclear threat

stemming from the illegal russian presence at the plant, is the withdrawal of the russian groups and return to legitimate control of ukraine. this is key to restoring not only nuclear safety and security but also respect international law. report shows we have time to study -- the report shows that russian occupation has seriously affected the safety and security, as ukrainians stop operating the plant under russian military occupation are under constant high stress and pressure. this is not sustainable and could lead to increased human error with implications on nuclear safety.

we are concerned that the ukrainians working in the conditions of threat and pressure under the russians. the persians -- the provisions of the report i quote, it is essential that the ukrainian stop operating the plant under russian occupation, they must be able to carry out their important duties without threats or pressure, undermining not only their own safety but also the facility itself. during the previous meetings in the security council, the delegation of ukraine drew attention to the russian threat to use these npp, shield for personnel and hardware. now, our information has been verified by the iaea. let me quote the report.

the team observe the presence of russian military personnel, vehicles and equipment, at various places at the plant, including several military trucks on the ground floor of unit one and unit two, to provide military vehicles a station under the overpass connecting the reactor units. the team also observed the presence of an extra group from ash ash -- from presence of the senior technical staff would lead to interference with the normal lines of operational command and create potential frictions when it comes to decision-making, and of quote. the delegation of ukraine like

the iaea finds that that the efforts made by the operating personnel are being taken on the very challenging circumstances with military personnel and equipment as well as representatives being present on the site. we call on russia to implement the recommendation on their removal. distinguished members of the council, the issue that is currently on discussion the continued presence of the iaea, the idea put forward by ukraine. the ukrainian side stands ready to further discuss specific alleys -- specific alleys --

with the iaea, against the back on a potential risk sent colleges, given the -- we should find an efficient way to ensure both the safety of the iaea experts and their immunity from the russian manipulations --. on issue of the agencies continued presence, with a view to stabilize the critical situation at the facility and avoid further aggravation. as president zelenskyy has said tonight in his video address to the nation less than an hour ago i quote rector generals proposal

to craig nuclear safety and proposal safety zone, we needed to look at a specific content, what exactly does that mean? the content of this proposal envisions the demilitarized a of the territory of the npp, which is logical since it was the russian military presence that put that npp under the threat. we can support the demilitarization zone. in any case, it is clear more than international organizations will need a large mandate for their actions. i believe, says the president, that the world not only deserves but needs the representatives of

the iaea force russia to demilitarized territory of the npp and return full control over the plan to ukraine. confirm that under the -- we confirm that under no circumstances has ukraine worked military actions which will endanger not only our own estate but millions of lives in the neighboring countries. is to president, due to russian -- mr. president due to russian provocation shelling, the energy system to ukraine was damaged. again, this is the second time due to russian provocation, the zaporizhzhia station was one step away from a nuclear disaster. as president zelenskyy said

yesterday in a statement, we consider the fact that russia is doing this right now, right on the eve of the iaea conclusions, very eloquent. the shelling of the territory of the npp means the terrorist estate does not care as the zaporizhzhia ash -- as the iaea does it does not care. russian -- russia wants it to remain the worst. strengthening sanctions only by officially recognizing russia as a terrorist state. ukraine has a clear transparent and honest position. while we consult the station, there was no threat of radiation. as soon as russia came the worst case scenario immediately became possible. this requires an international

response from the u.n. to every normal state. let me, iterate the main outcome of the joined international effort must be be the removal of the russian military and civilian personnel from the territory as well as -- from the territory. this will bring the plant to a safe and secure operation as it was before the full-fledged russian war against ukraine. as stated in the report, the current situation is untenable, the action to ensure the safety and security over ukraine's new their facilities and its people would be, for these armed conflicts to end now. >> i thank the representative of ukraine for his statement. i now give the floor to the representative of germany.

>> mr. president, let me thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak today in the council on this matter which is of gravest concern to my country. i would like to think the secretary-general for his statement and the director general grossi for his comprehensive briefing. grossi we think the director general, or his leadership and his report on zaporizhzhia. my appreciation goes out to the iaea on the ground into the ukrainian operating staff in zaporizhzhia who continue to work in extremely difficult conditions. as i said previously, my country remains deeply concerned about the immense danger to nuclear safety, from russia's unprovoked, war of aggression against ukraine that could threaten the entire european continent and beyond. there can be no doubt who is

responsible for this precarious situation. this is not a chicken and egg question, it is the fresh and federation that attacked ukraine and occupied parts of ukrainian territory including the premise of the zaporizhzhia power plant. without russia's aggression we would not be sitting here for the third time, discussing a blatant lack of nuclear safety and security in europe and there will be no risk of a nuclear incident with consequences, reaching far beyond ukraine's borders. in contrast to russia's false claims, it is the russian seizure of the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant that poses a serious threat to the safety and security of the various site. it is russia militarizing the power plant. it is russia placing equipment and troops on the premises. this has created a situation in

zaporizhzhia. this can be changed by the russian federation at any moment, the militarizing the site and we call on russia to do so. under the current circumstances it has been of utmost importance to investigate the situation and assess the safety of the plants operation underground. germany was among those countries who actually pushed for this mission to be deployed, as a matter of urgency and we thank the iaea for conducting this mission under exceptionally difficult circumstances. we agree with the director journal -- director general that the situation at the plant remains of gray concerned -- grave concern, as well as for the safety of the operating staff. it is of crucial importance that this mission can be -- can continue his work at the par plan and remain consistently present on the site. the iaea must be able to

permanently respond to safety, security and safeguard concerns related to the zaporizhzhia powerplant. finally, we demand that russia hand back full control of the zaporizhzhia powerplant to its rightful sovereign owner, ukraine, in order to ensure its safe and secure operations and to provide continued electricity supply to the ukrainian population, to conclude, mr. president, the russian federation must change course, fully respect the letter and spirit of the u.n. charter and withdraw its forces from ukrainian territories. the russian federation must comply with the order of the international court of justice to immediately suspend all military operations against ukraine. germany will continue to support the territory integrity and the political independence of ukraine, within its international recognized borders. i thank you. >> i thank the representative of

germany for his statement. there are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. the meeting is adjourned.

ng the covid-19 restrictions. [cheers] [applause] mr.oh