Russia says transferring control of Zaporizhzhia nuke plant ´impossible´

Transferring control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) to Ukraine or any other country is impossible, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, reported Xinhua.

The ministry said in a statement that the joint operation of the plant with any foreign states is also unacceptable, adding there were no such precedents globally and citing security concerns.

It also dismissed the possibility of the plant being run by any international organizations, which it says lack relevant credentials and competence.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week he discussed U.S. involvement in restoring the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant during a recent phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, stating that Kiev is open to U.S. participation in restoring the plant.

According to the White House, Trump expressed the U.S. willingness to assist in managing Ukraine's nuclear power plants, citing American expertise in electricity and utilities.

The White House statement also suggested that "American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure."

The ZNPP, one of Europe's largest nuclear facilities, has been under Russian control since March 2022.