Latvia's Statement on the Situation in Ukraine at the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors meeting

Delivered by Ambassador Raimonds Oškalns

Thank you, Chair,

Latvia fully aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union. Please allow me to add the following remarks in my national capacity.

I would like express our gratitude to the Director General and the Agency’s staff for their continuous efforts to assist Ukraine in sustaining nuclear safety, security and safeguards.

Agency’s continued physical presence in ZNPP and other nuclear facilities, along with visits to critical substations are crucial for ensuring the stability and sustainability of Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure and reducing the risk of a nuclear accident.

In regard to the illegally occupied ZNPP, we are deeply troubled by the assesment of the latest DG’s report, which states that the “overall security situation continues to be precarious, with Six of the Seven Pillars compromised either fully or partially”.

We are concerned that Agency’s experts are still prevented from accessing large areas of the ZNPP by armed Russian troops and were denied access of information relating to nuclear safety and security. Such actions limit Agency’s ability to assess the overall situation, undermining nuclear safety and security of the plant, but also beyond.

We condemn Russia’s increasingly reckless and indiscriminate attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid, including on critical substations and power lines.

Chair, Latvia reiterates yet again, that none of the aforementioned risks to nuclear safety and security were present before Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine.

We repeat the call on Russia to halt its aggression against Ukraine, to withdraw all its military and other personnel and equipment from the ZNPP, and the entire territory of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders.

Thank you, Chair!