On January 25, 2023, at a meeting between Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Galushchenko and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine Matsuda Kuninori, the parties discussed nuclear and radiation safety at Zaporizhzhya NPP, current needs of the Ukrainian energy sector in the context of constant russian attacks on energy facilities, and bilateral cooperation on restoration and reconstruction of the energy sector of Ukraine based on the latest technologies.

German Galushchenko informed the Ambassador about the launch of IAEA missions at all Ukrainian NPPs. He emphasized that direct presence of IAEA representatives at Ukrainian NPPs would allow to assess from the inside all the dangers and threats to nuclear and radiation safety posed by russia’s constant shelling of Ukrainian energy facilities.

The Minister stressed that russia violated all 7 basic principles of nuclear and radiation safety by its actions in Ukraine and must be held accountable for this.

“The civilized world must join forces and impose sanctions against the russian nuclear industry, refusing to cooperate with rosatom, which covers up acts of russia’s nuclear terrorism,” he emphasized.

In turn, Matsuda Kuninori underlined that the issues of nuclear and radiation safety were very important for his country and Japan was ready to deepen cooperation with Ukraine in this area.

German Galushchenko thanked the Ambassador for the ongoing assistance provided by the Government of Japan to Ukraine, especially in the supply of energy equipment and materials.

The Minister emphasized that Ukraine started to restore and develop the energy sector based on the most advanced technologies and with due regard to all the risks and dangers from the criminal actions of the aggressor state.

“We are already working on decentralizing our energy system to make it more sustainable. One of the quickest solutions in this regard is the development of renewable energy,” he said.

The parties discussed participation of the Japanese side in projects to restore the Ukrainian energy sector based on the latest technologies, including cooperation in the construction of small modular reactors and joint implementation of hydrogen projects.

“This is the future. We are open to active cooperation in construction of small modular reactors and have a significant potential for implementation of hydrogen projects. Ukraine has the professionals and technical capabilities that will allow us to become one of the leaders in these innovative areas,” emphasized German Galushchenko.