LIVE UPDATES: IAEA Car Convoy Reportedly Set Off From Kiev Towards Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant

The Reuters news agency reported citing its witness at the scene that an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) car convoy set off from Ukrainian capital Kiev towards the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

It was not clear when the IAEA mission planned to arrive at the NPP.

The United Nations is providing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expert team with necessary logistics and security during its mission to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP), United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday.

"They will cross the front line, I assume in vehicles. We, the UN Secretariat, are providing assistance with logistics and security. When and where they will cross the front lines - that is something for the IAEA to share with you," Dujarric said.

The parties that are in control of the areas in which the IAEA mission will be held are also responsible for the safety of the team, Dujarric added.

Earlier on Tuesday, the IAEA team headed by Director General Rafael Grossi arrived in Ukraine to inspect the ZNPP. The inspection will last until September 3.

The ZNPP, located on the left bank of the Dnieper River near Energodar, is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe in terms of the number of units and output. During Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, the ZNPP and the surrounding areas fell under control of the Russian forces.

Energodar, the nearby villages and the ZNPP itself have recently been a target of intensive shelling by Ukrainian forces, raising international concerns over a possible nuclear disaster. Kiev has blamed Russia for the shelling.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said on Tuesday that she does not support the ban on the issuance of visas to ordinary Russian citizens.

Prior to the meeting of EU foreign ministers, Colonna said that it is important to separate Russian President Vladimir Putin and his entourage, those who are responsible for or support Russia's actions in Ukraine, and regular Russian citizens, including students and journalists.

France wants to continue to maintain ties with the Russian people, she noted. Additionally, Russian businessmen close to the president are already under sanctions and cannot come to Europe, Colonna added.

French government spokesman Olivier Veran said last week that Paris had no clear position on the proposal to stop issuing Schengen visas to Russians and that this issue should be discussed at the European level.

The EU member states currently do not have a unified position on the visa ban for Russians. Earlier in the day, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urged the bloc to use a balanced approach when making this decision.

Moscow considers the proposal to ban Schengen visas for Russians as a manifestation of chauvinism and has pledged to take retaliatory measures if the decision goes through.

Energodar's authorities want to give the IAEA mission coming for the inspection of the Zaporozhye NPP the fragments of shells fired at the residents by the Ukrainian military, the administration of the Russian-controlled town said on Tuesday.

"We have collected all these fragments in areas of Energodar and nearby settlements that have been shelled. Such terrifying shell fragments left by Ukrainian militants were found near residential buildings, and we are ready to give this collection to IAEA representatives," Energodar's administration official said.

The IAEA expert mission headed by Director General Rafael Grossi arrived in Ukraine on Tuesday to inspect the NPP. The mission consists of 13 experts without representatives from the US, the UK and Russia, the Ukrainian broadcaster 1+1 reported. The inspection will last until September 3.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian forces launched a missile attack on Energodar, which is located in close proximity to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, with at least 20 large-caliber artillery shells recorded.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held an informal conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday night, during which the leaders discussed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, RBC-Ukraine reported on Tuesday, citing Zelensky's spokesman Sergei Nikiforov.

The IAEA expert mission headed by Director General Rafael Grossi arrived in Ukraine on Tuesday to inspect the NPP. The mission consists of 13 experts without representatives from the US, the UK and Russia, the Ukrainian broadcaster 1+1 reported.

The IAEA inspection at the NPP will last from August 31 to September 3.

The European Union's leadership is looking for a way to provide Ukraine with up to 8 billion euros ($8 billion) in macro-financial assistance, which was announced several months ago, and is holding technical talks on the issue with member states, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

"In accordance with the demand received from the European Council, these technical talks are underway with the member states, and this is of shared feeling of urgency to mobilize the remaining amount of this financial assistance," Nuyts Veerle, the EU Commission spokeswoman for economic and financial affairs, jobs and social rights, said at a mid-day briefing.

In July, the EU commission said that the envisaged coverage for new macro-financial loans to Ukraine should be at 70% of the loan value so that the bloc's budget is protected amid increased risks. However, the goal cannot be currently achieved due to the lack of funds in the EU budget plan. According to the bloc's rules, macro-financial loans are covered by a reserve of 9%.

In early August, the EU commission said that guarantees from EU member states could become a safety cushion for supplying Kiev with additional loans worth up to 8 billion euros. EU countries are expected to just confirm their ability to make appropriate financial contributions to the budget if necessary. The EU commission has been negotiating the issue with member states.

According to Chief Spokesperson for the European Commission Eric Mamer, this is one of the possible models that could allow funds to be transferred to Ukraine.

"Our line is basically that we're looking at a solution that could either be that or another," Mamer said at the briefing.

In May, the EU commission offered sending macro-financial support worth 9 billion euros to Ukraine. A loan of 1 billion euros was allocated in early August. The EU commission needed no guarantees from member states to transfer those funds, since the allocation could be done within the framework of the current bloc's budget plan.

EU defense ministers have agreed to begin preparations to establish a joint military assistance mission to Ukraine, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Tuesday.

"There are many training initiatives on the way but the needs are enormous, and we need to ensure the coherence of these efforts. I can say that all member states agree clearly on that and on launching the work necessary to define the parameters for a EU military assistance mission for Ukraine; I am not saying that this was decided today, in any case, this was an informal council, an informal council doesn't take decisions," Borrell said at a press conference following the informal meeting of EU defense ministers in Prague.

The EU foreign policy chief added that the EU continues to support Ukraine.

"We unanimously agreed on this, the EU stands united in support of Ukraine and the member states remain ready to continue support as long as needed and as much as needed," Borrell said.

On February 24, Russia began a military operation in Ukraine responding to calls for help from the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. Western countries responded by imposing comprehensive sanctions against Moscow while also ramping up their military support for Kiev.

In April, Russia sent a note to NATO member states condemning their military assistance to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any arms shipments on the Ukrainian territory would be "legitimate targets" for Russian forces.

The European Union should use a balanced approach when making a decision on banning the issuance of Schengen visas to Russians, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Tuesday.

"This is an informal council, so no decision can be taken, but a clear political orientation I am sure will come from it. The positions are different; there are divergent positions, some members want a complete ban, others want just to work on the frame of the current visa facilitation ban. I can not advance a final result but I am sure that we will be able to look for a balanced approach to this problem," Borrell told journalists on the doorstep of an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Prague.

Calls have been mounting for the European Commission to ban Russian tourists from entering the EU's borderless area in response to the Russian special operation in Ukraine. In late July, Estonia proposed that Brussels block Russian citizens from entering Europe at the bloc level. Prior to that, the EU commission said that EU countries cannot completely stop issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens, adding that member states could decide for themselves on the issuance of short-term Schengen visas and consider each application on an individual basis.

Some EU countries, including the Czech Republic, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Poland and the Netherlands, have already limited the issuance of Schengen visas to Russian citizens. France and Germany have so far refused to back the initiative, though Berlin made a decision to suspend its visa facilitation agreement with Moscow.

The European Union has provided Kiev with 5.5 million potassium iodide tablets to protect Ukrainians from potential radiation exposure in the event of an accident at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (NPP), the European Commission said on Tuesday.

The EU received a relevant request for potassium iodide tablets from Kiev on August 26, according to the commission.

"The Emergency Response Coordination Centre swiftly mobilised 5.5 million potassium iodide tablets via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for Ukraine, including 5 million from the rescEU emergency reserves and 500,000 from Austria. With a total financial value of over €500,000 [$500,940], the brunt of the assistance will be delivered to Ukraine from the rescEU reserve hosted by Germany," a statement read.

Ukrainians are expected to use the tablets "to avoid that inhaled or swallowed radioactive iodine is absorbed by the thyroid," the EU commission added.

The coastline of the Russian-controlled city of Energodar, which is located in close proximity to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (NPP), is being shelled by Ukrainian forces, with 20 large-caliber artillery shells recorded so far, the city authorities said on Tuesday.

"The Ukrainian armed formations are shelling the coastline of the city. Twenty arrivals of large-caliber artillery have been recorded... At the moment, the shelling continues," the administration, appointed after Russia took control over the city, wrote on Telegram.

The local authorities added that the shelling was a deliberate attempt by the Ukrainian leadership to obstruct the mission led by International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi currently heading to the area.

An international mission led by the International Atomic Energy Agency is expected to visit the ZNPP from August 31 to September 3.

The Zaporozhye NPP, located on the left bank of the Dnieper River near Energodar, is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe in terms of the number of units and output. During a military operation in Ukraine, launched by Russian on February 24, the nuclear plant and surrounding fell under control by the Russian forces. Enerhodar, nearby villages and the ZNPP have recently been targeted by multiple shelling. Such incidents have raised international concerns over a possible nuclear accident. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the shelling.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday proposed to suspend the European Union’s visa facilitation agreement with Russia and the issuance of multi-year visas to Russians.

"My suggestion would be… to suspend the visa facilitation agreement so as not to issue multi-year visas anymore, in order to enable the countries that are particularly affected by this issue to check exactly for what purposes this visa will be issued," Baerbock told reporters.

The EUobserver online newspaper reported, citing top European diplomats and sources, that the bloc is considering various ideas about changing the procedure for issuing visas to Russians.

The visa issue is expected to be discussed during an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Prague on Tuesday and Wednesday.

One EU diplomat said that the talks in Prague will not reach any definite decision on visas, but a "political green light for [technical] work to begin" can be expected.

"There are plenty of ideas floating around ... It may be that only certain categories of Russians will be covered [by the new costs and administrative burden] in the end," the diplomat said, adding that "in future there could be a limited number of Russian tourist visas issued by the EU each year."

Meanwhile, there is pressure to exclude young Russian people from any visa restrictions, another EU source told the newspaper.

"There's some kind of obsession in EU decision-making circles about Russian youth — under 25s," the source said.

A number of Western countries called for a ban on the issuance of visas to Russian citizens, but there is no single position on the issue. The EU commission said that EU countries cannot completely stop issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens, adding that member states could decide for themselves on the issuance of short-term Schengen visas and consider each application on an individual basis.

The Netherlands will support the EU-wide tourist visa ban for Russians, Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said on Tuesday.

"In Europe, we will support stopping issuance of tourist visas," the minister said, as quoted by RTL Nieuws.

Hoekstra added that the Netherlands believes the ban should not apply to other types of visas, including student, humanitarian and family visas.