Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday met with visiting International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi to discuss the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (NPP), the presidential press service reported.

During the talks, Zelenskyy and Grossi talked about the IAEA mission to the Zaporizhzhia NPP and Russia's recent decision to designate the plant as Russian "federal property."

Zelenskyy said he considered the decision an illegal takeover, while Grossi said transferring the plant to Russian ownership is a violation of international law.

Zelenskyy called for a demilitarization of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, one of Europe's largest nuclear power plants, to ensure the nuclear safety of the facility.

The Ukrainian leader also stressed the need for the resumption of the plant's operation for the energy security of Ukraine and Europe.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree that designates the plant, which has been controlled by Russian forces since early March, as Russian federal property.

(Cover: The 5th reactor of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power plant in Energodar, Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, August 23, 2022. /Xinhua)