“I think we are making progress.” The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is making progress in gaining access to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, its director general, Rafael Grossi, said on Friday (7 July) during a visit to Tokyo. The IAEA chief said inspectors had visited several sites, including the cooling pools, but had not had access to the roof, where Ukraine suspects Russian forces, which occupy the plant, of placing mines or explosives. Follow our live.
Volodymyr Zelensky in Türkiye. On the eve of the 500th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, theukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday in Istanbul. This visit also takes place four days before the opening of the annual NATO summit in Vilnius (Lithuania) on July 11 and 12. Traveling to Prague on Thursday, the leader of kyiv asked for a “clear signal” on his country’s future membership of the Atlantic Alliance.
In Prague, Zelensky calls for “honesty” in relations with NATO. Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the Czech Republic on Thursday after a visit to Bulgaria on Thursday to discuss, in particular, NATO membership. “We need honesty in our relationships” with NATO, he told the press, alongside Czech President Petr Pavel. “It is time to demonstrate the courage and strength of this alliance”he added.
A strike kills at least five people in Lviv. The night from Wednesday to Thursday was marked by a Russian strike on Lviv, a large western city rarely targeted. “This is the most destructive attack against the civilian population of the Lviv region since the beginning of the war”, noted on Telegram the head of the regional military administration, Maksym Kozytsky. At least five people were killed and 37 injured, according to the Interior Ministry.
The Ukrainian army is “advancing”, assures kyiv. Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged that the Ukrainian counter-offensive was slow, but assured that kyiv troops were advancing. “The offense is not fast, that’s a factadmitted the president. But nevertheless, we are advancing, not retreating, like the Russians. We now have the initiative.”