Putin and Macron agree: the IAEA visit to the Zaporizhia nuclear plant must be accelerated

The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, have agreed this Friday in their interest in speeding up the procedures for a visit by experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to the Ukrainian plant in Zaporizhia. Both intend to assess the impact of the fighting in its surroundings between Ukraine and Russia, which has threatened the facility’s operation and containment measures.” Putin and Macron have stressed the importance of sending this mission to Zaporizhia as soon as possible. “, explained the Kremlin in a statement collected by the Russian agency TASS. In the conversation, Putin blamed Ukraine for the attacks on the facilities that “could cause a large-scale catastrophe.” This is the first conversation between the leaders since May 28, when they held a three-way telephone conversation with the participation German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The Elysee has reported that Macron expressed to the Russian president “his concern about the risks posed by the situation at the nuclear power plant” and has clarified that the IAEA team of experts must arrive “under conditions agreed by Ukraine and the United Nations.” The visit of the IAEA team has been delayed for security reasons related to the fighting in the surrounding area, and due to a lack of agreement on the route of travel. Thus, Russia has offered to transfer the experts but, as the Kremlin itself acknowledges, it is a sensitive issue given that Ukraine could interpret the Russian management as an affront, as the plant is in territory occupied by Moscow. Mijail Ulianov, Russian representative in Vienna, where the IAEA is based, has estimated that the visit could take place early next month. “The forecasts are not always fulfilled, but, according to my sensations, we can talk quite realistically about the first days of September, unless some factors other than the objectives reappear,” he indicated. It is still too early to say nothing about the details, these are extremely sensitive issues”It is still too early to say anything about the details, these are extremely sensitive issues, we are discussing the modalities of the mission, the route, the number of people who will participate in it, how long they will remain in the center and for what tasks they are sent there,” he added. Likewise, Putin reminded Macron of Russia’s invitation to teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to the Elenovka preventive detention center, the scene of last month of a bombing that cost the lives of fifty Ukrainian prisoners of war and of which Moscow and kyiv accuse each other.” The Kremlin also reported that the leaders of Russia and France agreed to continue contacts on the issues raised and other issues,” the Kremlin said.