MOSCOW: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi on Wednesday met Russian President Vladimir Putin over safety at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
The Kremlin in its remarks did not provide any details of Putin-Grossi closed-door meeting in Sochi in Russia.
According to the Kremlin, Putin told Grossi that he was prepared to discuss sensitive issues on the agenda and would do everything to ensure nuclear security.
Grossi also had a meeting with the head of Russian nuclear power company Rosatom Alexei Likhachev.
Russian forces captured Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in their war on Ukraine in 2022.
Zaporizhzhia is located close to the front lines in a part of southern Ukraine which Moscow claims to have annexed. All six of its nuclear reactors are shut down, but it requires constant power and a water supply to keep it cool and prevent a catastrophic meltdown.
He nuclear plant was damaged by fire when in March 2022. The IAEA has been trying to establish a safety mechanism to prevent accidents.
Grossi held talks with state nuclear power company Rosatom where safety at Zaporizhzhia was discussed.
Zaporizhzhia lost its link to all its external power lines eight times in the past 18 months, forcing it to depend on diesel generators.
Ukraine last year said it feared the plant could face a water shortage needed to keep it cool.
