An extraordinary meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was held on Friday, 30 January, convened at the request of thirteen Member States—including Italy—to discuss the situation in Ukraine from the perspective of nuclear safety and security, in light of the recent Russian attacks against the country’s electricity infrastructure, including substations critical to the operation of nuclear power plants.
In his opening remarks, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi highlighted the link between these attacks and nuclear safety and called for respect for the “Seven Indispensable Pillars” to ensure nuclear safety and security in conflict situations, as well as the “Five Principles” for the protection of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant.
Italy, represented by Ambassador Debora Lepre, together with numerous other countries, expressed strong concern about the risks arising from the repeated Russian attacks and supported the efforts of the Agency and Director General Grossi, reaffirming the indispensable role of the IAEA in Ukraine.
