VIENNA
\nUN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi will head to Russia Tuesday for a fresh round of talks with President Vladimir Putin to discuss \u201cthe future operational status\u201d of Ukraine\u2019s Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
\nEurope\u2019s largest nuclear plant has been at the center of fighting since it was captured by Russian forces in March 2022, with both Moscow and Kyiv frequently accusing each other of compromising its safety.
\nGrossi last met Putin in Saint Petersburg in October 2022 to discuss safety issues involving the Zaporizhzhia facility.
\n\u201cI think it is very important that we keep this high-level dialogue with both belligerents,\u201d Grossi \u2014 who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) \u2014 told reporters Monday.
\nThe IAEA chief said he hoped to discuss \u201ctechnical points\u201d with Putin and get \u201can impression of what the plans\u201d for the plant are.
\n\u201cThere are issues related to the future operational status of the plant,\u201d Grossi said when asked about the topics he intends to raise.
\nRussian Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also confirmed the talks.
\nGrossi has visited Ukraine several times to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky and other senior officials.
\nThe IAEA chief said he also hopes to address the nuclear plant\u2019s \u201cextremely fragile and thin\u201d external power supply lines, after the facility suffered a complete loss of off-site power multiple times during bouts of fighting in the past two years.
\nFears over the plant\u2019s safety have persisted throughout Russia\u2019s invasion, with the IAEA warning that powerful explosions and mine blasts near the plant indicated \u201cpossible combat action\u201d that were of \u201cdeep concern.\u201d
\nGrossi has called for \u201cmaximum military restraint\u201d around the plant \u201cto reduce the danger of a nuclear accident.\u201d
\nThe UN nuclear watchdog has also voiced concerned about a possible shortage of staff at the Zaporizhzhia plant.
\nSince February, workers from Ukraine\u2019s atomic energy operator Energoatom who refused to sign contracts with the Russian operating entity have been barred from working at the plant.
\nIAEA officials have been on the ground monitoring the plant since September 2022.
\nThe plant\u2019s six reactor units, which produced around a fifth of Ukraine\u2019s electricity before Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion, have been shut down.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
VIENNA UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi will head to Russia Tuesday for a fresh round of talks with President Vladimir Putin to discuss \u201cthe future operational status\u201d of Ukraine\u2019s Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Europe\u2019s largest nuclear plant has been at the center of fighting since it was captured by Russian forces in March 2022, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":391750,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-391724","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n