Moscow ready for meeting with Ukrainian, IAEA reps, but Kyiv hesitating - Russian diplomat

MOSCOW. March 9 (Interfax) - Kyiv is still hesitating about arranging a meeting between representatives of Russia, Ukraine, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to address measures to safeguard the nuclear facilities on Ukrainian territory, and Russia confirms its readiness for such negotiations, Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said.

"Russia believes that IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi's idea to hold a trilateral meeting between Russia, Ukraine, and the IAEA to work out a mechanism to ensure operational and physical safety for the nuclear facilities in Ukraine could be useful," Ulyanov said at a session of the IAEA Board of Governors.

"A meeting like this could be arranged in a videoconference format or in a third country," he said.

"We stand ready for that. This has been confirmed at the level of the Russian president. We hope that the Ukrainian side, which is apparently hesitating on the matter, will also display a constructive approach," Ulyanov said.

On March 7, Grossi urged the parties to the conflict in Ukraine to take efforts to prevent a disaster at Ukrainian nuclear power plants.