Statement of the G7 Non-Proliferation Directors Group on a Nuclear Safety and Security Framework for Ukraine

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Press release, March 15, 2022

G7 leaders and ministers have condemned Russia's military aggression against Ukraine.

Profoundly concerned, in this context, by Russian attacks at and in the direct vicinity of nuclear facilities in Ukraine, and condemning any acts compromising the safety of nuclear installations devoted to peaceful purposes,

Mindful that the risk to civilians from damage to a nuclear site during armed conflict has the potential to increase dramatically and that the radiological risk to civilians and the environment from a nuclear accident go beyond the borders of any country,

Welcoming the IAEA Director General's efforts to establish a framework agreement on the safety and security of nuclear installations for peaceful purposes in Ukraine during the current armed conflict,

The G-7 strongly endorses the following seven pillars outlined by Director General Rafael Grossi:

The physical integrity of the nuclear facilities, whether it is reactors, fuel ponds, or radioactive waste storage and disposal sites, must be maintained;
All safety and security systems and equipment must be fully functional at all times;
Operating staff must be able to fulfil their respective safety and security duties, with appropriate staff rotation, and have the capacity to make safety and security-related decisions free of undue pressure;
There must be secure off-site power supply from the grid for all nuclear sites;
There must be uninterrupted logistical supply chains and transportation to and from the sites;
There must be effective on-site and off-site radiation monitoring systems and emergency preparedness and response measures; and
There must be reliable communications of the sites with the regulator, as appropriate;

We support the Director General's efforts to conclude an agreed framework for the safety and security of all nuclear installations in Ukraine as a matter of urgency, while respecting full Ukrainian sovereignty over its territory and infrastructure. Further, we urge all countries to make available to the IAEA all necessary resources and equipment to facilitate technical support to Ukraine and provide safety to individuals implementing the seven pillars in areas of armed conflict.

We thank Director General Grossi and his staff for their tireless efforts to secure the framework agreement to support the safety and security of Ukraine´s civilian nuclear sites, and we commit to continuing to support the Agency in facilitating these seven pillars of safety and security of peaceful nuclear installations.

Source: German Federal Foreign Office

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