The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continues to plan engagement with Russia, with Director General Rafael Grossi anticipated to visit in 2024. This expectation was echoed by Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s Permanent Representative to international organizations in Vienna, who noted that the exact timing will hinge on the readiness of the parties to maintain a sustained dialogue.
Ulyanov reminded observers that Grossi has already traveled to Russia on several occasions in 2022 and 2023. Those trips centered on high-level consultations with Russia’s inter-ministerial team regarding the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, underscoring the importance Moscow places on ongoing coordination with the IAEA on nuclear safety and safeguarding measures.
“The visit is still likely to occur in 2024, though the precise date remains unsettled,” Ulyanov commented, pointing to the need for continued readiness from all sides and a willingness to advance practical discussions on verification, inspections, and security guarantees.
On another front, Rosatom’s press service reported that during the COP28 summit in Dubai, the head of Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Alexei Likhachev, and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi held talks focused on advancing comprehensive consultations aimed at reinforcing the nuclear security framework surrounding Zaporizhzhia in early 2024.
Rosatom later acknowledged the IAEA’s dedicated role in facilitating transparent dialogue and technical exchanges, emphasizing the importance of sustained international collaboration to maintain safe and reliable nuclear operations in the region. As conversations continue, observers in Canada and the United States monitor developments closely, recognizing the IAEA’s involvement as a key element in regional stability and nonproliferation efforts.