Lavrov discussed the situation around the ZNPP with the French Foreign Minister

MOSCOW, 19 Sep — PRIME. The heads of the Russian and French Foreign Ministries Sergey Lavrov and Catherine Colonna during a telephone conversation discussed issues of ensuring the safety of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

“In follow-up to the telephone contact between the presidents of Russia and France on September 11 of this year, the heads of the foreign ministries discussed in detail the situation in Ukraine, focusing on ensuring the safety of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant,” reads a release published on the agency’s official website.

It is noted that Lavrov pointed to the use by Kyiv of weapons supplied by the West for “bombing of civilian and infrastructure facilities, including the Zaporizhzhya NPP,” which threatens the nuclear security of all of Europe.

The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry again stressed that “an immediate and complete cessation of shelling of the station and an objective investigation into the facts of deliberate attacks on this facility” is necessary.

According to the press service, the foreign ministers also exchanged views “on various aspects of bilateral and international problems of mutual interest.”

In turn, the Colonna noted on Twitter that the situation at the Zaporizhzhya NPP is of concern to France. She stressed that what is happening at the facility is critical. In this regard, it is necessary “to create a security zone around the nuclear power plant as soon as possible.”

“We will discuss it on Wednesday morning, at 11.30, during a meeting of the working group organized by France together with the Director General of the IAEA in order to make sure that actions will be taken to ensure safety at the nuclear power plant,” the French Foreign Minister added.