Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. Photo: Xinhua/VNA

Russian president Vladimir Putin and France’s Emmanuel Macron last week agreed to push ahead with an urgent safety mission by the International Atomic Energy Agency to the nuclear plant in Ukraine.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday said its expert mission could visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine "within the next few days if ongoing negotiations succeed."

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in a statement that he is continuing to consult "very actively and intensively with all parties so that this vital IAEA mission can take place without further delay."