Both Ukraine and Russia have shown ”signs that they are interested” in setting up a security zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

So says International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Director Rafael Grossi.

”What we really need here is for Ukraine and Russia to agree on a very simple principle of not attacking or not shelling the facility,” says Grossi at a press conference in Vienna.

He adds that both sides are in dialog with the IAEA on the matter and that they are ”asking a lot of questions”.

”I see signs that they are interested in this agreement,” Grossi says following an IAEA meeting Monday.

For weeks, the two sides have been engaging each other near the nuclear power plant. Several buildings have been struck in the process, stoking fears that it could end in a nuclear disaster.

Russian forces are in control of the area, but the facility is staffed by Ukrainian personnel.

The Ukrainian government demands that the Russian forces withdraw from the area.

A spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that the only way to ensure the nuclear power plant’s safety is ”its de-occupation, demilitarization and return to Ukrainian control”.

”All IAEA efforts must be focused on achieving this goal. Anything short of this won’t make Russia stop its dangerous game,” writes spokesman Oleg Nikolenko in a post on Twitter.

In Vienna, Grossi says Monday that he’s ”working within my mandate. I cannot get into areas that have to do with larger demilitarization or movement of troops.”

On Sept. 1, the IAEA succeeded in carrying out an inspection of the nuclear power plant in order to examine any potential damage to the facilities.

A few days later, the IAEA released a report detailing the damage, among other things. The report also came with a call for a security zone being set up at Zaporizhzhia.

Both sides of the conflict agreed to let the IAEA install two inspectors permanently at the site.

In this way, the inspectors are able to give first-hand reports on the situation at Zaporizhzhia, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

The IAEA’s board of governors is slated to convene this week and is expected to adopt a resolution calling for Russia to ”to immediately cease” all actions around Ukrainian nuclear power plants and transfer full control to ”competent authorities”.

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