Russia Calls for IAEA Safeguards Over Uranium Supply to Ukraine
Moscow. Russia has said that any supply of enriched uranium linked to Ukraine’s nuclear power plants must be placed under mandatory safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova made the remarks in response to a question from Rossiya Segodnya regarding media reports that Britain intends to supply Ukraine with enriched uranium to help ensure the operation of its nuclear power plants.
According to Zakharova, Moscow understands that the reported plan concerns the supply of low enriched uranium for the production of nuclear fuel for Ukrainian nuclear power plants.
She said the British company URENCO is currently one of the major suppliers of such products. Zakharova added that Russia is not aware of Ukraine having the industrial capacity to manufacture nuclear fuel independently. For that reason, she said Moscow assumes the uranium would not be physically supplied directly to Ukraine, but to a nuclear fuel production facility in a third country, most likely one operated by Westinghouse.
Zakharova said that, judging by London’s statements, the deal does not appear to be related to the production of a radiological dispersal device, commonly known as a “dirty bomb.”
However, she said much would depend on the exporting state’s ability to ensure Kiev’s strict compliance with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. She also said it must be guaranteed that Ukraine uses the supplied material only for its declared purposes.
Only under such conditions, Zakharova said, would it be possible to say that the supply does not undermine the international nuclear non proliferation regime based on the NPT.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman stressed that the nuclear material in question must be supplied under mandatory IAEA safeguards.
At the same time, Zakharova said Russia does not view Britain’s decision as being driven mainly by commercial considerations. She described it as another attempt by London to gain political advantage by pledging continued support for what she called the “criminal Zelensky regime.”
Zakharova also referred to Russia’s claims that Ukrainian forces have continued attacks against the Zaporozhskaya Nuclear Power Plant and Energodar, where plant employees and their families live. She said London has offered neither condemnation nor concern over such attacks, adding that this reflects Britain’s attitude toward nuclear safety.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow has no illusions about what it described as the real motives and disreputable nature of Britain’s assistance to Ukraine.
According to Russia’s position, any nuclear material supplied in connection with Ukraine must be used strictly for declared civilian purposes and remain fully consistent with the NPT regime and IAEA safeguards.
