The Ukrainian bomb attack near the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant threatens a “catastrophe”. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.
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During the interview, “various aspects of the situation” in Ukraine were discussed, and Putin highlighted how the raids in the Zaporizhia region “could cause a large-scale disaster that could lead to radiation contamination of large areas,” he told the Kremlin’s press service .
The two leaders stressed the importance of sending an IAEA mission to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant as soon as possible. “The presidents underlined the importance of sending an IAEA mission to the nuclear power plant as soon as possible, which can assess the actual situation on the ground – the Kremlin added – The Russian side confirmed its readiness to make the ‘Agency’ inspectors available provide necessary assistance”.
According to reports from TASS, the call took place at the initiative of the Elysée and was the first conversation between the two leaders since May 28. On that occasion, the conversation was extended to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, while the last bilateral phone call between Putin and Macron dates back to May 3.
According to a note from the Elysee, during talks with French President Macron, Putin accepted sending an IAEA mission to the Zaporizhia plant on Kyiv and UN terms. Macron, it said, “reiterated its concerns about the nuclear security risks posed by the situation at the Zaporizhia plant and supported the dispatch of an IAEA expert mission to the site as soon as possible, under conditions agreed by Ukraine and the United Nations”.
“The President of the Russian Federation has communicated to the President of the Republic his consent to the dispatch of this mission and on the terms indicated,” reads the Elysée, according to which the two presidents will discuss this issue again shortly, days after the exchange of views between the technical teams and before dispatching the mission.
MOSCOW LETTER – Russia has sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council denouncing Ukraine’s “provocations” at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. This was reported by the Tass news agency, citing diplomatic sources.
PUTIN XI MEETING – Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin could meet in person in Uzbekistan next month. This was revealed by The Wall Street Journal, citing people aware of preparations for Xi’s mission, which could attend the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit scheduled for September 15-16 in Samarkand.
As the WSJ points out, the trip to Uzbekistan would be included in the Chinese president’s program in response to Chamber of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan earlier this month, which Beijing viewed as interference in its internal affairs. The sources cited by the American newspaper indicate that Xi could personally attend the summit, although his plans are not yet defined.