Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency to St. Petersburg on Tuesday to discuss fighting around the largest nuclear plant in Europe. He told Rafael Grossi that the situation at the Zaporizhzhia complex is "of concern."

Putin said he is open to dialogue about the situation. Russian forces have occupied the site since March, and shelling in the area has raised fears of a disaster.

Putin said, "Of course, we see that, today, there are elements of an excessively dangerous politicization of everything connected with nuclear activity."

Grossi has been pushing to establish a safety zone around the site. However, he does not have the authority to impose one.

Grossi said he has made efforts to try to avoid a nuclear accident that could be very "detrimental, in general terms and, in particular, in the region."

He met on Thursday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They will meet again this week to try to move forward with the safety zone.

Authorities with the Ukrainian state nuclear power company Energoatom said earlier this month that Russian forces had kidnapped the head of the plant. Now, they say the troops have detained, and probably tortured, another official there. They are calling on Grossi to take "all possible measures" to free him.