War in Ukraine: latest developments

Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:

A 14-strong team of UN nuclear inspectors visits the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine to ensure its safety amid concern that the war which is raging nearby could spark a nuclear accident.

The inspection of Europe’s biggest nuclear facility went ahead despite further shelling in the area that forced the closure of one of its six reactors. Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of being responsible for the attacks.

After the visit, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, announces that the IAEA will be “staying” at the station.

“The IAEA is staying here. Let the world know that the IAEA is staying at Zaporizhzhia,” he says.

French President Emmanuel Macron defends his policy of keeping up dialogue with Russia, saying that Turkey should not be the only world power talking to Moscow.

Macron drew criticism at the start of the war for his failed attempts to talk his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin out of invading Ukraine. After a lengthy pause following widespread claims of Russian war crimes in Ukraine he spoke again with Putin on August 19.

“Who wants Turkey to be the only world power which continues to talk to Russia?” the president told a meeting of French ambassadors at the Elysee Palace.

“The job of a diplomat is to talk to everyone, especially to people with whom we do not agree.”

As tensions soar between Moscow and the West, Putin visits Russia’s Baltic Sea territory of Kaliningrad, which is wedged between NATO member countries.

Kaliningrad is separated from the Russian mainland by Lithuania which has firmly backed Ukraine.

Russia in June clashed with Lithuania after Vilnius banned the rail transit of sanctioned goods from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad. The EU later ordered Lithuania to let goods through, with the exception of weapons.