French Foreign Minister Catherina Colonna

During a visit to Washington, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna stressed that keeping a channel of communication with Russia is "vital" and that Russia's President Vladimir Putin is confined in his weird vision of the world.

"We absolutely think it is crucial to keep a channel of communication with those making the decisions in Russia, including President Putin," the Minister stated at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

French President Emmanuel Macron has received criticism from some countries in Eastern Europe after speaking to Putin on several occasions following the start of the war in Ukraine back in February, in an attempt to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine, most recently a call to discuss the situation in Zaporozhye NPP.

Colonna added that "Putin is probably isolated in his very strange vision of the world and the way it could be run. Reinforcing this isolation of his would not be a good option," noting that "we need him to hear when we mention our analysis and our assessment of the mistakes he made and what he could do to move on in a different direction."

Addressing the talks regarding securing the surrounding of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, the FM hoped that a demilitarized zone would be achieved as she warned that it is "too dangerous for the world to use as a zone of military confrontation."

On September 1, the UN agency sent a 14-person team to the site, including Rafael Grossi, to assess the situation at the plant. At least two members of the team were to remain there on a permanent basis to ensure the facility's safety.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called on September 6 for the establishment of a security zone around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP) following an offensive by Kiev.

ZNPP has been under Russian control since early March and had operated without interruption. However, since July, drone attacks and shelling by Ukrainian forces regularly targeted the facility, leading Russia to request assistance from the IAEA to address security issues.