President Biden on Sunday discussed the importance of protecting the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine during a call with leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, according to a White House readout.
Fears of a nuclear disaster at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant have steadily increased amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and spiked in recent weeks amid fighting at the site.
Russian forces took control of the plant months ago, during the early stages of the war. Since then, both Ukrainian and Russian troops have traded blame for skirmishes and shelling near the nuclear plant, which have alarmed wold leaders seeking to de-escalate the conflict around the site.
On Sunday’s call, Biden, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed the need to “avoid military operations near the plant,” according to the White House.
They also recommended the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visit the site in order to make a determination of the safety of the plant and its operations.
Macron last week said Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to send IAEA agents to the plant, Reuters reported.
Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky also agreed to allow IAEA agents to inspect the nuclear plant. He warned last week of “catastrophic consequences” if fighting continues near Zaporizhzhya.
On Sunday, Biden also discussed with the European leaders ongoing negotiations with Iran over reviving a 2015 nuclear agreement that lifted sanctions on the Middle Eastern nation in return the country not develop nuclear grade material or weapons.
While negotiations have been ongoing for months, the parties are reportedly getting closer to a deal.