Erdogan offered Putin talks on the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan invited Vladimir Putin to act as an intermediary to resolve the issue with the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, which has been under the control of Moscow since the beginning of the war and has been under fire. This was reported to the Anadolu agency in the press service of the head of state.

The presidents of Russia and Turkey had a telephone conversation, during which they discussed cooperation between the countries, the visit of the IAEA delegation to the Zaporozhye NPP and the implementation of the grain deal.

According to Anadolu, Erdogan said that Turkey could play the same mediating role it played in the Ukrainian grain deal. A quadripartite agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain and the export of Russian grain was concluded on July 22, Moscow and Kyiv signed it separately with Ankara and the UN.

The Kremlin website also states that the leaders discussed “the situation in Ukraine.” “Erdogan noted the constructive role of Russia in organizing the mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to the Zaporozhye NPP. The progress of the implementation of the “grain deal” concluded in Istanbul on July 22 through the mediation of the President of Turkey was considered, – the message says – “The mood to expand trade and economic ties has been confirmed <...> Further contacts have been established.”

Putin and Erdogan agreed to continue communication in Uzbek Samarkand, where the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be held on September 15-16.

In August, the Turkish President also spoke with Volodymyr Zelensky. Then Erdogan said that he was very worried about the crisis at the ZNPP. “We are concerned. We do not want another Chernobyl,” the Turkish leader said.

The nuclear power plant was taken over by Russian troops at the beginning of the war, but it is still operated by Ukrainian personnel. Moscow is trying to block the supply of electricity from the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant to the non-occupied Ukrainian regions and redirect them to its territories. In May, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, during a visit to the occupied territory of Zaporozhye, directly declaredthat the nuclear power plant will work for Russia.

The object is regularly shelled, in which Kyiv and Moscow blame each other. According to the occupying authorities, recently only the 5th and 6th power units were operating at the nuclear power plant – at 60% and 80%, respectively. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, who visited the station the day before, informedthat a significant part of the safety systems of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant work relatively well, but the physical integrity of the nuclear power plant is a concern. Grossi also declaredthat two observers from the international agency will remain at the station.