U.S. backs calls for a demilitarized zone around Ukraine nuclear power plant -State Dept

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States supports calls for a demilitarized zone around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after fighting involving Russian and Ukrainian forces in the vicinity of the plant, a State Department spokesperson said on Thursday.

“Fighting near a nuclear plant is dangerous and irresponsible – and we continue to call on Russia to cease all military operations at or near Ukrainian nuclear facilities and return full control to Ukraine, and support Ukrainian calls for a demilitarized zone around the nuclear power plant,” the spokesperson said.

UN secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier on Thursday called for an immediate end to military activity near the facility, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.

(Reporting by Simon Lewis; Editing by Mark Porter)