KYIV/MOSCOW - Russian and Ukrainian negotiators failed to achieve major breakthrough during their third round of peace talks in Belarus on Monday, while a negotiator said the fourth round will take place in "the very near future."

"The discussions continued on political and military aspects. However, it remains difficult. It is too early to talk about something positive," Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, also the head of the Russian delegation, said following the third round of talks.

Russian negotiators brought specific agreements to the talks, but the Ukrainian side refused to sign them on the spot and took the documents back home for further study, he told reporters.

"To be honest, our expectations from the talks were not met. But we hope that next time we will be able to take a more significant step forward," Medinsky said after the meeting, which lasted nearly three hours at the Belovezhskaya Pushcha on the Belarus-Poland border.

Both sides addressed the issue of civilian evacuation, and the Ukrainian side assured Russia that the humanitarian corridors would start working on Tuesday, he said.

Leonid Slutsky, member of the Russian delegation and head of the International Affairs Committee of the lower house of the Russian parliament, said that the fourth round of talks would take place in the near future, Sputnik reported on Monday.

"And the next round, given that the rounds take place almost every other day, so the next, fourth round will take place in Belarus in the very, very near future. I can't name the exact date yet," Slutsky said after the third round of negotiations as aired by Russia's Rossiya 24 broadcaster.

On the same day, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a telephone conversation with Josep Borrell, the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

During the conversation, Borrell briefed Wang on the EU's position on Ukraine, saying the most important thing at present is to cease fire and avoid further massive casualties.

The EU supports solving the issue through negotiations, he said.

For his part, Wang said the top priority now is to avoid a humanitarian crisis, adding that China has publicly put forth a six-point initiative on preventing a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine aimed at promoting synergy among the international community to avoid a further deterioration of the situation.

Wang said that Russia and Ukraine should be encouraged to hold peace talks and that the Chinese side has advocated dialogue from the very start.

He said he hopes that the international community can support sincere negotiations between Russia and Ukraine involving a ceasefire, ending the conflict and peace.

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba are expected to meet in Turkey's southern province of Antalya on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

The meeting would be held in a tripartite format, Cavusoglu said at a press conference on Monday, while hoping it would "be a turning point."

On Monday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed that Lavrov and Kuleba plan to meet in Antalya. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to the meeting during their recent phone conversation.

Meanwhile, according to the Ukrainian UNIAN news agency, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said that Kyiv is exploring the possibility of such a meeting in Turkey.

BEIJING -- Another two temporary flights carrying Chinese citizens evacuated from Ukraine returned home safely on Tuesday.

At 7:25 a.m., the first flight arrived in Zhengzhou City in central China, and the second flight arrived at 12:13 p.m. in Shenyang of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Prior to today, four temporary flights taking Chinese nationals back from Ukraine have already returned home safely.

China's ambassador to the United Nations on Monday called on parties to the Ukraine conflict to ensure the safety of humanitarian corridors.

The situation in Ukraine is still changing sharply, and reports of civilian casualties continue to increase, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN. "China calls on all parties concerned to exercise maximum restraint, effectively increase diplomatic efforts, let the war stop, effectively protect the safety of civilian life and property and basic needs, and prevent a large-scale humanitarian crisis,"

Russia, Ukraine reached agreement on the establishment of humanitarian corridors, Zhang said. "I hope Russia and Ukraine can overcome the obstacles encountered during the implementation process, ensuring a safe humanitarian corridor."

Zhang reiterated a six-point initiative put forwarded by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on preventing a large-scale humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

First, humanitarian assistance should be made in accordance with the principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality as set forth in General Assembly Resolution 46/182, and avoid politicization.

Second, full attention should be given to the displaced people in and from Ukraine, and efforts should be made to provide them with proper shelter, Wang said.

Third, Wang called for ensuring the protection of civilians and preventing secondary humanitarian disasters in Ukraine.

Fourth, efforts should be made to guarantee safe and smooth humanitarian aid activities, including providing rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, Wang noted.

Fifth, he called for ensuring the safety of foreign nationals in Ukraine, allowing them safe departure and helping them return to their home countries.

Sixth, support should be given to the UN's coordinating role in channeling humanitarian aid and the work of the UN crisis coordinator for Ukraine, Wang added.

Zhang said that during the evacuation of Chinese citizens, the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian community have given friendly assistance. Russia, Moldova, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Belarus also provide valuable support. "We express our heartfelt thanks to governments and people," the envoy said.

"The situation in Ukraine has become what it is today for a variety of complex reasons, and what is needed to solve such a complex issue is a cool head and a rational mind, not adding fuel to the fire which only intensifies the situation," said Zhang.

To resolve the current crisis, Zhang said, we must "uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and respect and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries; to uphold the principle of indivisible security and respect the legitimate security concerns of relevant parties; to rely on dialogue, negotiation and peaceful means for dispute resolution; to aim for long-term regional stability and forge a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism."

"China will continue to speak out and do its best for peace. China supports and encourages all diplomatic efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, and discouraged action that may escalate the situation in Ukraine," he said.

"Imposing unilateral sanctions is not a fundamental and effective way to solve problem, it will bring about serious humanitarian consequences. Providing defensive weapons to Ukraine, or even the dispatching mercenaries to the combat zones in Ukraine, may escalate the situation and bring more risks," said Zhang.

MOSCOW/MINSK - Russian and Ukrainian negotiators failed to achieve significant results during their third round of peace talks in Belarus on Monday.

"The discussions continued on political and military aspects. However, it remains difficult. It is too early to talk about something positive," Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, also the head of the Russian delegation, said following the talks.

Russian negotiators brought a large set of documents, including specific agreements, but the Ukrainian side could not sign them on the spot and took all these documents back home for study, he told reporters.

"To be honest, our expectations from the talks were not met. But we hope that next time we will be able to take a more significant step forward," Medinsky said after the meeting, which lasted nearly three hours at the Belovezhskaya Pushcha on the Belarus-Poland border.

Both sides addressed the issue of civilian evacuation, and the Ukrainian side assured Russia that the humanitarian corridors will start working on Tuesday, he said.

"There was some positive progress when it comes to improving the logistics of humanitarian corridors," Mykhailo Podoliak, advisor to the Head of the President's Office of Ukraine, tweeted after the negotiations.

"Today there were no results that would significantly improve the situation. Nevertheless, I emphasize once again that the consultations will continue," Podoliak said in a video message posted on Twitter.

Russia brings in cease-fire in efforts for humanitarian corridors to hold in 4 Ukrainian cities

Russia's Defense Ministry on Monday announced a temporary cease-fire to enable residents to leave four Ukrainian cities via humanitarian corridors.

Taking into account the "catastrophic humanitarian situation and its sharp aggravation in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy and Mariupol", the decision was made at the request of French President Emmanuel Macron to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the ministry said in a statement.

But the Elysee Palace said no such request was made, with Macron insisting on "the respect of international humanitarian law, the protection of civilian populations and the supply of aid".

The announcement represents the latest effort to firm up humanitarian corridors from cities in Ukraine, with moves to evacuate people from the Black Sea port city of Mariupol failing on two prior occasions amid recriminations from both sides.

On Monday, Russia published evacuation routes from the designated four Ukrainian cities, and reported the information to the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, according to the ministry. The cease-fire and humanitarian corridors were taking effect from 10 am that day.

Moscow demanded that the Ukrainian authorities establish the conditions for the creation of humanitarian corridors and ensure an organized withdrawal of civilians and foreign citizens, the Russian statement said.

Ukraine rejected Moscow's offer of establishing humanitarian corridors to Russia and Belarus, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said later on Monday. "This is not an acceptable option," she said.

Since Russia announced a special military operation against Ukraine on Feb 24, the two sides have had two rounds of negotiations in neighboring Belarus in search of a solution to the crisis. An agreement to open a humanitarian corridor for civilians to get out arose from the second meeting, on Thursday.

A new round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia got underway on Monday afternoon, with the talks to focus on humanitarian corridors, a Russian negotiator was reported as saying.

The latest moves came after another night of advances by Russian forces from the air, land and sea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded that Moscow take full responsibility over the civilian deaths.

The two prior attempts to let thousands of civilians leave Mariupol collapsed after civilians came under fire, with each side accusing the other of agreement violations.

'Human suffering'

On Sunday, the failure of the second evacuation coincided with the International Committee of the Red Cross saying some 200,000 people were trying to leave the port city, with "devastating scenes of human suffering".

There was no letup in the violence from fighting that spilled overnight into Monday. Air raid sirens rang out in cities across the country, and there was an intense aerial bombardment of Kharkiv, which has endured almost nonstop fire in recent days.

Russia's Defense Ministry accused the Ukrainian security forces of planning to blow up a reactor at the National Research Center of the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology.

The Ukrainians in turn accused the Russian Armed Forces of launching projectiles at an experimental nuclear reactor.

The United Nations' nuclear watchdog on Sunday expressed "deep concern" over reports that communication from Europe's largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine has been disrupted.

Russian forces seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine on Friday.

On Monday, Russia said the country backs International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi's idea of a trilateral meeting with Ukraine on ensuring the safety of nuclear facilities there but not at Chernobyl as Grossi wants, Moscow's envoy to the watchdog said.

On the economic front, Russia approved on Monday a list of foreign states and territories that commit unfriendly actions against Russia, its companies, and citizens, according to the TASS news agency.

The affected countries included those in the European Union, the United States, Britain and Japan.

Xinhua and agencies contributed to this story.

renqi@chinadaily.com.cn

?The United Nations refugee agency said on Monday that 1.7 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began.

Oil prices went up by almost 20 percent on Monday after the United States said it was in "active discussions" with Europe about banning Russian imports.

BEIJING - Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday held a telephone conversation with Josep Borrell, the European Union (EU)'s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

During their phone conversation, Borrell briefed the EU side's views and positions on the current situation in Ukraine, saying the most important thing at present is to cease fire and avoid further massive casualties.

The EU supports solving the issue through negotiations, he said.

Noting that China is a peace-loving country, he said he hopes the Chinese side can play its role in encouraging and bringing about a ceasefire, and in pushing the parties concerned to set foot on a path of negotiations and political settlement.

For his part, Wang said China laments the fact that the situation in Ukraine has come to this stage, adding that sanctions will not solve problems, and that escalating sanctions will only further complicate and amplify the situation.

The top priority now is to avoid a humanitarian crisis, Wang said, adding that China has publicly put forth a six-point initiative on preventing a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, mainly aimed at promoting synergy among the international community to avoid further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

Wang said that Russia and Ukraine should be encouraged to hold peace talks, and that the Chinese side has advocated dialogue from the very start.

He said he hopes that the international community can support Russia and Ukraine to have sincere negotiations, which should not only continue in the future, but also lead to ceasefire, end of conflicts, and peace.

China is willing to continuously play a constructive role within its ability in de-escalating the situation, Wang said, adding he hopes the EU side will have comprehensive and sincere dialogue with Russia in the future on European security issues, and form a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism in accordance with the "indivisibility of security" principle.

Under the current circumstance, China and the EU, as two major forces in the world, should work together to make good preparations for the China-EU Summit, so as to send a positive signal to the world, Wang said.

Borrell said that the EU side stands ready to work with China to jointly push forward the further development of EU-China ties.

ANKARA - The foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine will meet in Turkey's southern province of Antalya on Thursday, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday.

During a press conference, the diplomat noted that the meeting would be held in a tripartite format, as part of Turkey's "intense effort" to bring both sides together.

"Russian Foreign Minister (Sergei) Lavrov said that he was ready to attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Ukrainian Foreign Minister (Dmytro) Kuleba also announced that he will attend," Cavusoglu said, hoping that the meeting "will be a turning point."

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Monday confirmed that Lavrov and Kuleba are planning "a contact" in Antalya, and the meeting was agreed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin during their recent phone conversation.

Erdogan was quoted in a statement by the Turkish presidency as saying that Turkey is ready to contribute to resolving the Ukraine crisis by peaceful means as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, according to the Ukrainian UNIAN news agency, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said that Kyiv is exploring the possibility of such a meeting in Turkey.

Scholars, politicians and representatives of international organizations are expected to join in this year's diplomatic forum from Friday to Sunday, ahead of which Turkey will also host the 8th Istanbul Mediation Conference in Antalya on Thursday.

MOSCOW/MINSK - The third round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations has started in neighboring Belarus, Russia's TASS news agency reported Monday.

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KYIV -- Ukraine's existing nuclear power plants (NPPs) continue to operate stably, the country's state-run nuclear energy operator Energoatom said in a statement on Monday.

"Radiation, fire and environmental conditions at NPPs and adjacent territories have not changed and are within current standards," Energoatom said on Facebook.

The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, the largest one in Europe, was captured by the Russian military on Feb 5.

The Zaporizhzhya plant is currently under Russia's control, and Ukrainian employees of the plant are trying to ensure the safe operation of nuclear facilities, Energoatom said.

In hindsight, the tragedy that is now unfolding in Ukraine could have been averted if some of the parties involved had focused more on seeking a diplomatic solution rather than taking steps that have only served to precipitate the conflict.

Given that it is now the military alliance's consensus that Ukraine's membership of NATO "will not take place", as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said, an earlier clarification of that stance would have been opportune. Now, more than 10 days after Russia launched its "special military operation" in Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen while the prognosis for the ongoing military conflict remains grim.

More than 1.5 million refugees have fled from Ukraine into neighboring countries in "the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II", said Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees, on Sunday. Many more are still trapped in towns and cities by the fighting.

Meanwhile, Moscow told Ukraine's neighbors and its allies in NATO on Sunday that hosting Ukrainian military aircraft could be considered as direct involvement in the war, following the warning it has already made that any country imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine will have entered into a military conflict with Russia.

Given the high stakes involved in case of a miscalculation or misjudgment, speaking on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress on Monday, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi once again called for countries to support direct talks between Ukraine and Russia and to refrain from taking any steps that might further complicate the situation.

It has been China's consistent stance that the Ukraine crisis can only be resolved through dialogue and negotiations, rather than military actions or sanctions. Talks between Russia and Ukraine are the only way for the two sides to agree on a cease-fire. And extensive negotiations between Russia and the United States, NATO and the European Union are the only way to resolve the deeper issues that have led to the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine.

Yet until the other Western countries are prepared to stand on their own two feet, the US will continue to drag them into chaos and war as it seeks to maintain the primacy of its influence worldwide.

Washington, alarmed at the growing trade relations between European countries and Russia, has taken the opportunity of the vacuum in European leadership resulting from former German chancellor Angela Merkel stepping down to engineer a breakdown in trust between the two sides and draw the EU closer to the US. It is seeking to do the same thing in the Asia-Pacific with its regional allies by demonizing China and provoking the latter on the Taiwan question.

As the swelling catalog of suffering worldwide shows, Washington's world view and the actions it takes to manifest it are neither constructive nor inspiring but instead destructive and enervating.

China will provide all the help its citizens in Ukraine need to ensure their safety and evacuation, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a press conference on Monday.

As the situation in Ukraine escalates, the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, China's cabinet, are paying close attention to the safety of every Chinese citizen in Ukraine. President Xi Jinping expressed his concern personally on multiple occasions, urging the country to do whatever it takes to guarantee the safety of Chinese citizens overseas, Wang said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs have begun its emergency protocols and communicated with countries around the region to facilitate the safe evacuation of Chinese citizens, Wang said, adding that China expresses its sincere gratitude to countries that aided in the process.

Meanwhile, Chinese communities, overseas students and companies from Ukraine and surrounding countries have also provided assistance. "This has once again showcased Chinese people's traditional virtue of sharing weal and woe and going through hard times together," he said.

Wang said due to the current circumstances and personal reasons, some Chinese citizens are still in Ukraine. "They are constantly on our minds, and we are maintaining communication with them, and will provide all the help they need," Wang said.

"We don't live in a peaceful world, but we are lucky to have a motherland that seeks and enjoys peace.

"Serving the people is the abiding commitment of the Chinese diplomatic service. With everything we do, we will continue to show every one of our compatriots overseas that we stand with you at all times, wherever you may be, your motherland will always have your back."

China is prepared to continue playing a constructive role in the ongoing Ukraine crisis to facilitate dialogue for peace and work alongside the international community when needed to carry out necessary mediation, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday.

Speaking at a news conference on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress, Wang said China believes to resolve the current crisis, countries must uphold the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and respect and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.

"We must adhere to the principle of indivisible security and accommodate the legitimate security concerns of the parties involved. We must settle disputes by peaceful means through dialogue and negotiation. And we must keep in mind the long-term peace and stability of the region and put in place a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism," Wang said.

He said China believes the tenser the situation, the more important talks continue. "The wider the disagreement, the greater the need to sit down and have negotiation," he added.

Wang called for efforts to prevent a large-scale humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The Red Cross Society of China will send emergency humanitarian assistance to Ukraine soon, he said.

MOSCOW - Russian armed forces will hold fire and open humanitarian corridors in some Ukrainian cities from 10 am Moscow time (0700 GMT) on Monday, Sputnik reported.

KYIV - NATO countries are not ready to discuss having Ukraine in the organization and Kyiv is ready to discuss "some non-NATO models", Fox News reported on Sunday.

"The response that we are getting from the NATO countries is that they are not ready to even discuss having us in NATO, not for the closest period of five or 10 years. We would not fight for the NATO applications, we would fight for the result, but not for the process," David Arakhamia, member of the Ukrainian delegation for talks with Russia, told Fox News.

"We are ready to discuss some non-NATO models ... We are open to discuss such things in a broader circle, not only in bilateral discussions with Russia, but also with other partners," Arakhamia was quoted as saying.

Ukraine and Russia held two rounds of talks on Feb 28 and March 3, and are expected to have the third round of talks on Monday.

As the Ukraine-Russia conflict worsens, only diplomatic dialogue and negotiations can bring peace, analysts say. And in this, India can play a useful intermediary role, they said.

India has been advocating "dialogue and diplomacy" as a solution, said Karori Singh, emeritus fellow of the South Asia Studies Centre at India's University of Rajasthan.

Singh noted that the United Nations and most countries have appealed for restraint and de-escalation of the conflict, while North Atlantic Treaty Organization member states imposed economic sanctions on Russia.

"Such sanctions will make every nation suffer, not merely Russia, and the world economy will again slow down," Singh said, echoing a view that sanctions or restrictions could prove counterproductive.

Countries must "refrain from expanding alliances which are detrimental to the security of other countries" while pushing for peace, he said.

The focus must be on "global solidarity for facing the common challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, widening inequality, climate change and extreme poverty", said Singh, who believes that talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiating teams are advancing in the right direction.

India's abstention from UN Security Council resolutions on Ukraine has drawn criticism from media in the United States and other Western countries.

On Wednesday, India abstained from voting on a resolution criticizing the Russian military action in Ukraine.

Western countries have also tried to persuade India to rebuke and sanction Moscow, with politicians in Washington even urging India to "take a clear position".

And some media reports have suggested that the US could be weighing potential sanctions on India.

Swaran Singh, professor of diplomacy and disarmament at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, said India is "calling all sides to ensure respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity".

Proactive engagement

"Guided especially by its need to safely bring back large numbers of Indian citizens in Ukraine, New Delhi's stance of neutrality－that saw India abstain on three UNSC resolutions－has made India far more proactive in its engagement with this conflict," he said.

He also pointed out that India attended the Quad Leaders' Summit on Thursday.

Convening the meeting implied that the US, Japan and Australia were seeking an opportunity to nudge India into joining their denunciation of Russia and also join in their sanctions on Russia, Swaran Singh said.

"This, however, remains ambitious as India is likely to stay on course with its neutral position that has become increasingly proactive and focused on helping and highlighting the plight of the victims," he said.

T. S. Tirumurti, India's permanent representative to the UN, said on Wednesday that India's "foremost priority" is the "safe and uninterrupted passage" of Indian nationals, reported The Hindu newspaper. Data from Ukraine's Education and Science Ministry showed that there were 18,095 Indian students in Ukrainian universities in 2020.

China's ambassador to the United Nations has urged those concerned to act with caution and work together to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities inside Ukraine.

"China is paying close attention to the latest developments in Ukraine, and expresses our concerns over the relevant reports about the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant," Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN, told a Security Council briefing on the safety of nuclear facilities in Ukraine.

According to information the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, received from the Ukrainian nuclear authority, the main equipment of the nuclear power plant remains intact, and the level of radiation unchanged, Zhang said.

"We also noticed the information and clarification provided by Russia on the relevant matters. China attaches great importance to nuclear safety and security and hopes that the parties concerned will act with great caution, and with specialized technical assistance from the IAEA Secretariat, work together to ensure the safety of relevant nuclear facilities inside Ukraine.

"The most important thing right now is to ease tension, avoid more civilian casualties, intensify diplomatic efforts, and get back as soon as possible to the track of political settlement."

Russia and Ukraine had held two rounds of talks, he said.

"We encourage Russia and Ukraine to remain committed to the overall direction of political settlement and reach a negotiated solution that accommodates the legitimate concerns of the two parties and contributes to Europe's lasting peace and security."

China welcomes all diplomatic efforts conducive to a political settlement, he said. "We have played and will continue to play a constructive role to this end."

Ukrainian authorities on Friday said the Russian military had captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, in southern Ukraine. The plant was seized following shelling that caused a fire at the plant, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine said.

Russia's Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov confirmed on Friday that Russia's armed forces had taken control of the power plant.

The plant's six reactors were not affected by the fire, which had been extinguished, the IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said.

The plant normally provides more than half of Ukraine's nuclear power and contributes nearly 25 percent to its electric power.

Wheat prices have soared, with global food inflation impacted amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis that has severely impeded trade from Black Sea ports.

Prices for wheat surged to a 14-year high last week, leading to costs that will inevitably be passed on to consumers worldwide, reported Reuters.

It said the global Chicago benchmark wheat trading price jumped by 40 percent, which is likely to further drive up global food inflation.

Russia and Ukraine supply almost one third of the world's wheat exports, said the Financial Times, noting that Black Sea ports were now at a "virtual standstill".

Julie Marshall, spokesperson for the World Food Programme, told Reuters that supply disruptions from Russia and Ukraine would effect millions of people, with the Middle East and North Africa especially vulnerable.

Analysts and food aid organizations were cited by the FT as saying the biggest impact will be on poorer nations.

"This is an unnecessary shock of mega proportions," said Arif Husain, chief economist at the UN World Food Programme. "The war is only going to exacerbate the cost of food," said Ismail Kemaloglu, the former head of the state Turkish Grain Board and now the director of the consultancy IK Tarimussu.

Agricultural experts warned of the impact of delayed shipments from the region. Joseph Glauber, former chief economist at the United States Department of Agriculture, told the FT that countries are "going to have to find different suppliers and all that means higher prices".

Reuters noted that global stocks of major wheat exporters were already low prior to the crisis. It cited data from the International Grains Council showing supplies in the European Union, Russia, the US, Canada, Ukraine, Argentina, Australia and Kazakhstan would drop to a nine-year low of 57 million tonnes by the end of the 2021-22 season.

The cost of oil and gas has also surged due to some Western countries' sanctions against Russia, said Reuters, and it noted that shipping freight costs were already at record highs due to COVID-19 pandemic-related supply chain disruption.

MOSCOW/PARIS - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday held a phone conversation with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, during which they discussed the situation in Ukraine.

"Putin informed Macron in detail about the provocation staged by Ukrainian radicals in the area of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant with the involvement of a sabotage group. Attempts to blame the Russian military for this incident are part of a cynical propaganda campaign," the Kremlin said in a statement, adding that the physical and nuclear safety of the plant is well protected.

Macron expressed to Putin his concerns over the nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine during Russia's military operation, French presidential palace the Elysee said in a press release after the phone conversation.

On a proposal by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to hold a trilateral (IAEA-Russia-Ukraine) meeting in the Chernobyl zone to work out a mechanism for ensuring safety of nuclear facilities in Ukraine, Putin said that this idea could be useful in general, but it would be worth considering holding such a meeting via teleconference or in a third country.

The two heads of state discussed the evacuation of civilians. Putin pointed out that Kiev has not yet implemented the negotiated agreements on such a pressing humanitarian issue. Macron was again invited to work actively with the Kiev authorities on the latter's compliance with international humanitarian law.

Putin also informed the French president about the current state of the Russia-Ukraine talks, expressing readiness to "continue the dialogue under Kiev's unconditional compliance with Russia's known demands".

"The most important thing is that the Ukrainian side should take a serious approach to reaching agreements, the implementation of which is important for the cessation of hostilities," said the statement.

The two presidents agreed on further contacts at various levels.