Russia and Ukraine are holding talks on Thursday to restore safety zones around the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which is at risk of further outages and radiation release. Live updates: – Russia to have a ‘comprehensive conversation’ with US on Ukraine – Understanding nuclear emergency risks at Zaporizhzhia NPP – Why concern over Zaporizhzhia nuke plant goes beyond Ukraine The six-reactor plant in southern Ukraine has been occupied by Russian forces since the early weeks of the war and has repeatedly come under fire, raising fears of a nuclear disaster. The United Nations has called for the area around the plant to be demilitarized and Ukrainian staff to operate it. The talks come after a flurry of diplomatic activity aimed at preventing a wider nuclear conflict. US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, in Ankara. Cavusoglu said after the meeting that Turkey was ready to host talks between Russia and Ukraine on the Zaporizhzhia plant and other issues. The talks are taking place in Vienna, Austria, at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA has sent a team of inspectors to the plant to assess the damage and ensure that safety protocols are being followed. The talks are expected to focus on establishing a safety zone around the plant, allowing the IAEA to conduct its inspections, and withdrawing heavy weapons from the area. Russia has said it is open to talks on a safety zone, but it has not agreed to withdraw its troops from the plant. Ukraine has said it is willing to negotiate, but it has insisted that Russia must withdraw its troops and hand over control of the plant to Ukraine. The talks come as the war in Ukraine continues to escalate. Russian forces have intensified their attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, and there are fears that the conflict could spill over into a wider war between Russia and the West. The Zaporizhzhia plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, and a disaster there could have devastating consequences for Ukraine and the surrounding region. The talks in Vienna are seen as a crucial opportunity to avoid such a disaster and restore safety to the plant..
Russia, Ukraine in talks to restore Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant’s safety
