Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pushed back against a US proposal to divide control of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) among three parties, calling the compromise "unfair" and asserting that "this is our station" during an online press conference on 18 December 2025.
The revelation marks the first public acknowledgment that Washington has proposed a specific framework for resolving the standoff over Europe's largest nuclear facility, which Russian forces seized in March 2022.
What the US proposed
Zelenskyy disclosed that the United States suggested the plant "should somehow exist, work, and be divided in some proportions among three." He did not specify the proposed division of control.
"We debated this topic for a long time, and I told them that I consider this unfair," Zelenskyy said during the press conference attended by Euromaidan Press.
The ZNPP issue arose alongside two other "sensitive questions" in recent negotiation rounds: the Donbas territories and a reparations loan mechanism.
Zelenskyy's objections
The Ukrainian president outlined multiple objections beyond the fundamental issue of ownership:
- The plant remains militarized by Russian forces
- Critical infrastructure problems persist, including lack of water and electricity access
- Ukrainian specialists currently work there in reduced numbers and would need housing when operations scale up
- Massive investment is required for repairs
- Any solution must be coordinated with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- The plant's future is tied to rebuilding the Kakhovka Dam, which Russian forces destroyed in June 2023
"There are more questions than answers," Zelenskyy said.
The dam connection
Zelenskyy linked the plant's fate to the destroyed Kakhovka Dam, whose reservoir previously supplied cooling water to the ZNPP. Russian forces blew up the dam in June 2023, causing catastrophic flooding downstream and creating long-term cooling challenges for the nuclear facility.
"The Russians blew it up. And who will pay for this now?" Zelenskyy asked, indicating that reconstruction costs and responsibility remain unresolved in ongoing talks.
No agreements reached
Despite the discussions, Zelenskyy confirmed that no agreements have been reached on any of the three sensitive issues—the ZNPP, Donbas, or the reparations loan mechanism. He noted that work on the financial questions would continue over the following two days.
The six-reactor ZNPP, located in Russian-occupied territory in southern Ukraine, has been a persistent concern for international nuclear safety officials since Russia's invasion. The IAEA has maintained a rotating presence at the facility and repeatedly called for the establishment of a nuclear safety zone around the plant.
