The U.S. Needs to Kick Russia out of Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plants ASAP

Zaporizhzhia is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, once supplying 20 percent of domestic energy for Ukraine and even exporting to other European nations. Now it is under Russian occupation, and the American technology inside is at the soldier’s mercy.

As the war in Ukraine drags into its third year, a largely overlooked yet critical issue continues to pose serious risks to global security: the ongoing Russian occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). Seized in the early days of the full-scale invasion in 2022, the ZNPP remains under Russian military control, despite international condemnation and growing concerns from nuclear watchdogs. 

With six 1-gigawatt reactors, ZNPP is the largest nuclear facility in Europe and a pillar of Ukraine’s pre-war energy infrastructure, supplying up to 20 percent of the nation’s electricity. Its occupation represents not only a direct threat to Ukraine’s sovereignty, but also a grave precedent in the global nuclear order. 

For the United States, helping Ukraine regain control of the ZNPP is not merely a show of support but a strategic necessity. 

Russia Uses Nuclear Blackmail as a Global Threat 

Never before in modern history has a nuclear power plant been weaponized as a tool of war and blackmail. Russia’s militarization of the ZNPP and its use as a bargaining chip in diplomatic negotiations, including reported attempts by Vladimir Putin to leverage the plant during conversations with former President Trump, undermines decades of global nonproliferation efforts. 

If Moscow’s unlawful control of the ZNPP is allowed to persist without consequences, it may embolden other authoritarian regimes, namely China, Iran, and North Korea, to adopt similar tactics. The normalization of such behavior could unravel international nuclear governance and dramatically increase the risk of nuclear incidents in future geopolitical conflicts. As the world’s leading force, the United States cannot afford to remain passive. 

Defending Zaporizhzhia Protects American Technology and Strategic Assets 

A critical yet underreported dimension of this crisis is the involvement of American nuclear technology at ZNPP. U.S.-based Westinghouse has long been a strategic partner in Ukraine’s nuclear sector, supplying atomic fuel as part of Kyiv’s broader effort to diversify away from Russian suppliers. Four of ZNPP’s six reactors operate with Westinghouse fuel assemblies, sensitive technologies protected under U.S. export controls. 

Under U.S. law, unauthorized access to this technology constitutes a serious violation with legal consequences. Russian personnel lack the required certifications and clearance to handle Westinghouse nuclear components, making their continued presence at the site not only illegal under international law, but also a direct challenge to U.S. national interests. 

Moreover, Westinghouse has suffered substantial commercial losses due to the inability to service or supply the plant under Russian occupation. In line with President Trump’s “America First” economic doctrine, safeguarding U.S. corporate interests abroad is paramount, particularly in the high-tech and strategic energy sectors. 

Reinforcing Zaporizhzhia’s Protections and Stability 

Beyond the immediate risks of nuclear disaster and technological theft, the occupation of ZNPP has crippled Ukraine’s power grid. The plant, which once produced a quarter of Ukraine’s electricity, has mainly been offline. Combined with Russia’s systematic strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the result is an increasing dependency on costly imports from Europe. 

From a purely economic standpoint, restoring the ZNPP is significantly more cost-effective than building new power stations. A ten-gigawatt capacity in gas-fired power plants would cost upwards of $10 billion. Recommissioning ZNPP would require far less, making it a strategic investment opportunity for Western donors seeking cost-efficient energy resilience in Ukraine.

Furthermore, restoring the plant will enable Ukraine to resume electricity exports to the EU, helping stabilize regional markets. Countries like Romania, Poland, and Moldova could all benefit from a reintegrated Ukrainian energy supply, strengthening the Euro-Atlantic energy corridor.  

Control over ZNPP also paves the way for deeper U.S.-Ukraine cooperation in strategic sectors. Ukraine has vast reserves of rare earth minerals, critical inputs for clean energy, semiconductors, and defense technology. 

As the U.S. works to decouple supply chains from China, a stable, energy-secure Ukraine could become a vital ally in securing these resources. 

However, mining and processing rare earths are extremely energy-intensive processes. Without reliable power from facilities like ZNPP, Ukraine cannot unlock its potential as a supplier of critical materials for the U.S. industrial base.  

Beyond mineral extraction, Ukraine is also positioned to support the growth of the global digital economy. Nuclear energy provides the stable, low-cost electricity needed for data centers, critical infrastructure in the age of AI, cloud computing, and big data. Ukraine’s nuclear assets, if fully restored, could attract investment from American tech firms seeking cost-effective overseas locations for energy-intensive computing infrastructure. 

What Washington Can Do to Help Zaporizhzhia Now

While a military operation to reclaim the ZNPP poses unacceptable nuclear risks, the United States has other levers at its disposal: 

1. Economic pressure: Expanding sanctions against Russia’s state nuclear firm Rosatom and other entities involved in the occupation, including export controls and secondary sanctions. 

2. Diplomatic engagement: Elevating the ZNPP issue in multilateral forums like the IAEA and G7, and engaging directly with non-aligned nuclear powers to isolate Moscow diplomatically.  

For Washington, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is not simply a Ukrainian concern. It touches every key pillar of U.S. foreign policy: nonproliferation, energy security, corporate interest protection, and strategic competition with authoritarian regimes. 

Reestablishing Ukrainian control over the ZNPP would: 

• Prevent nuclear extortion from becoming a global norm; 

• Safeguard sensitive U.S. nuclear technologies; 

• Deter similar tactics by adversaries; 

• Enhance transatlantic energy stability; and 

• Expand U.S. influence in critical mineral and digital infrastructure supply chains. 

Failing to act now risks setting a catastrophic precedent that could reshape the global security architecture for decades. The Zaporizhzhia plant is not just a battlefield trophy. 

It is a nuclear linchpin in a broader struggle for the future of American foreign policy. 

About the Author: Viktoriya Voytsytska

Victoria Voytsitska is a former Ukrainian Member of Parliament and expert in the energy sector, is now a member of the International Center for Ukrainian Victory and an associate at the We Build Ukraine think tank. 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/ Howard Cheng.