Biden, U.S.' European allies call for ceasing hostilities near Zaporizhzhya NPP - White House

WASHINGTON. Aug 22 (Interfax) - U.S. President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson have made a joint call for the provision of security at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, the White House said in a statement.

"The leaders [...] also discussed the situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, including the need to avoid military operations near the plant," the statement said.

They also discussed "the importance of an IAEA visit [to the IAEA] as soon as feasible to ascertain the state of safety systems," it said.

"In addition, they discussed ongoing negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, the need to strengthen support for partners in the Middle East region, and joint efforts to deter and constrain Iran's destabilizing regional activities," the statement said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier that Washington would seek the end of hostilities at Ukrainian nuclear sites and the restoration of Kyiv's control over them.

"The Secretary reaffirmed the United States will continue to call for an end to all military operations at or near Ukraine's nuclear facilities, the return of full control of these facilities to Ukraine," the Department of State said following Blinken's phone call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba last week.

The Russian Defense Ministry has reported Ukrainian attacks on the Zaporizhzhya NPP and its infrastructure on numerous occasions. The strikes intensified in August. They did not disrupt the operation of reactors but did damage to cooling pools, shells exploded near radioactive isotope storages, and other incidents occurred.

Ukraine, the United States and certain Western countries blamed Russia for shelling the plant.

The Zaporizhzhya NPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Currently, Russian forces are partially in control of the Zaporizhzhya region as a result of the special military operation in Ukraine.