The essentials in brief:
Concern for the safety of Zaporizhia NPP
Biden and Scholz agree before NATO summit
Selenskyj pleased with Stoltenberg’s term extension
Moscow and Kiev are accusing each other of an imminent attack on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. As early as Wednesday night, the Ukrainian armed forces would try to attack the nuclear power plant with rockets and drones, Renat Karchaa, adviser to the head of the Russian atomic energy agency, Rosenergoatom, claimed on state television.
On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had warned his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron against “dangerous provocations” by Russia at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. In its daily situation report, the Ukrainian general staff wrote about alleged explosive devices on the roof of the nuclear power plant, the explosion of which was intended to give the impression of a shelling. According to the situation report of the Ukrainian general staff, the explosive devices were attached to the roofs of the third and fourth reactor blocks, but are probably not intended to damage the reactors themselves. At the same time, the military leadership in Kiev emphasized that Ukraine would not violate the norms of international law.
IAEA director Rafael Grossi (middle), on the right the director of Rosenergoatom, Renat Karchaa, at a meeting in March 2023Image: Erik Romanenko/TAS/dpa/picture alliance
This is exactly what Karchaa accuses the Ukrainians of. Accordingly, not only should the nuclear power plant be fired upon, but a bomb containing nuclear waste should also be dropped at the same time. However, the high-ranking Moscow official did not provide any evidence for this accusation. Russian troops have occupied the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine since March 2022.
The nuclear facility came under fire several times during the fighting, raising international concerns about a nuclear catastrophe. The plant has now been shut down for safety reasons. An observer mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is on site.
Biden and Scholz agree
A week before the start of the NATO summit in Lithuania, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US President Joe Biden spoke on the phone. The White House said it discussed a number of issues that leaders will address at their summit, including ways to further strengthen the military alliance. The summit will take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays next week in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius.
US President Biden (left) and Chancellor Scholz – here in March 2022 – coordinated by phone before the NATO meeting in VilniusImage: Martin Meissner/AP Photo/picture alliance
One of the key issues is supporting Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russia. But it should also deal with the sensitive issue of defense spending by NATO countries and strengthening deterrence.
Selenskyj welcomes extension of Stoltenberg’s term of office
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has welcomed the extension of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s term in office. Zelenskyy said after a phone call with Stoltenberg that he thanked Stoltenberg for his “personal efforts” to support Ukraine and its striving for membership in the Western alliances. “I am confident that our cooperation will continue to be fruitful in the future.”
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg, here in an interview with DWImage: DW
Shortly before, it had become known that Stoltenberg would remain in office for another year until October 1, 2024. The former Norwegian head of government has held the office of NATO Secretary General since October 2014 and actually wanted to resign in the autumn. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he refrained from moving to the top of the Norwegian central bank in favor of the alliance.
This article will be continuously updated on the day of its publication. Reports from war zones cannot be independently verified.
haz/ust (dpa, rtr, afp)
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