US President Joe Biden spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy to receive an update on the fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and urged Russia to cease its military activities in the affected area and allow access to emergency responders, the White House has said.

On Thursday, Russian forces pressed their attack on a crucial energy-producing Ukrainian city by shelling Europe's largest nuclear plant early Friday, sparking a fire and raising fears that radiation could leak from the damaged power station.

President Biden joined President Zelenskyy in urging Russia to cease its military activities in the area and allow firefighters and emergency responders to access the site, the White House said in a readout of the call on Thursday.

Biden also spoke with the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the US Department of Energy and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to receive an update on the situation at the plant.

The President will continue to be briefed regularly, the White House said.