The European Union and the US have newly condemned Russia’s continued control and its “irresponsible and dangerous” actions at and around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station and have vowed to confront Moscow’s efforts to destabilise global energy markets and circumvent sanctions.

In a 15 March statement released after the 11th US-EU Energy Council meeting in Washington, the US government and the EU said Russia’s actions at Zaporizhzhia, which it has occupied since soon after it invaded Ukraine in February 2022, puts countless people at risk.

The council called on Russia to unconditionally withdraw its personnel and military equipment from the station, the largest in Europe, and to give full and unhindered access to International Atomic Energy Agency experts to all areas of the facility. The statement said full control of Zaporizhzhia should be returned to its rightful owner, Ukraine.