The head of the UN nuclear watchdog is calling on member states to help set up a protection zone at a Russian-held nuclear plant in Ukraine.

Director General Rafael Grossi was speaking at an annual conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The conference opened on Monday in Vienna, Austria, where the UN body is based.

There have been serious safety concerns over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine. The plant lost its external power supply at one time due to incessant shelling.

Grossi said the biggest nuclear plant in Europe is under fire. He said this is hard to believe, but is true. He said, "We need to act," in the face of this reality.

He said he is ready to continue consultations with Russia and Ukraine about urgently creating a nuclear protection zone around the plant to prevent a serious accident.