19 Aug 2022 17:48

Putin, Macron speak in favor of sending IAEA mission to Zaporizhzhya NPP, Russia ready to facilitate it - Kremlin

MOSCOW. Aug 19 (Interfax) - A telephone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron has taken place at France's request, the Kremlin press service said on Friday.

"The parties discussed various aspects of the situation surrounding Ukraine. Vladimir Putin, in particular, stressed that the systematic instances of shelling by Ukrainian forces of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant pose the danger of a major disaster capable of causing radioactive pollution over vast territories," it said.

"The presidents mentioned the importance of sending an IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] mission to the NPP as soon as possible to assess the real situation on the ground. The Russian side reaffirmed its willingness to provide the necessary assistance to the Agency's inspectors," it said.

"Vladimir Putin also recalled an invitation to experts from the UN Secretariat and the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit the detention facility in Olenivka, where a large number of Ukrainian prisoners of war held there died as a result of a missile strike by the Ukrainian Armed Forces," it said.

The two leaders agreed to continue contacts on these and other issues, it said.