Ukraine nuclear disaster fears as Macron talks tough and demands Russian exit
Russia set off white phosphorus munitions
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French President Emmanuel Macron called on Tuesday for the withdrawal of Russian forces from the Zaporizhjia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, underlining the “risks” that their presence poses to the safety of the site.
In a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, he stressed “his concern about the threat posed by the presence and actions of the Russian armed forces and the context of war with ongoing conflicts on the safety and security of Ukrainian nuclear facilities, and called for the withdrawal of these forces,” the Elysée said.
For his part, the Ukrainian president called for “tougher sanctions against Russia,” he said on his Twitter account.
The two leaders discussed “the situation on the front line” and “Russia’s nuclear terrorism” around the Zaporizhia power plant, said Volodymyr Zelensky.
The plant, Europe’s largest, was seized in early March by Russian troops at the start of their invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.
Since the end of July, several strikes, for which both sides accuse each other, have targeted the site, raising fears of a nuclear disaster and provoking a UN Security Council meeting last week.
Emmanuel Macron also “stressed his support” for the proposal of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, to send a mission to the site “as soon as possible” to inspect it.
The two heads of state “exchanged views on the modalities of such a mission”, the French presidency said.
Russia accused the UN services of having prevented the IAEA mission.
Ukraine, for its part, has opposed it, considering that it would legitimise the Russian occupation of the site in the eyes of the international community.
President Macron has “regular exchanges” with the director of the IAEA on this mission for which he pleads “since the first alerts”, said his entourage.
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“We have been working for months with our partners in favour of this mission,” the same source added.
Commenting on the issue, MEP Jerome Riviere warned: “Risk of nuclear accident in Zaporizhia: Macron should propose to Russians and Ukrainians to entrust the UN with securing the plant to military personnel of nationalities acceptable to both parties.
“The whole of Europe is at risk!”
On Monday, Mr Zelensky urged the world to show “strength and decisiveness” to defend the nuclear power station, Europe’s largest, following shelling in the vicinity of the plant which Kyiv and Moscow blame on each other.
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He wrote: “Continued dialogue with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Informed about the situation at the front, Russia’s nuclear terrorism at the ZNPP (Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant).
“Thanked (him) for France’s tangible defence aid. Discussed macro-financial aid to Ukraine & food security challenges.
“We must increase sanctions on Russia.”
Additional reporting by Maria Ortega
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