dailynewsnblog
Kyiv, 26 April 2026
We, the participants of the International Donor Conference on Chornobyl, gathered in Kyiv on the occasion of the 40th year of the Chornobyl tragedy, reaffirm our shared commitment to nuclear safety, environmental protection and international cooperation.
We honour the courage, sacrifice and selfless dedication of the liquidators of the Chornobyl disaster, whose actions were instrumental in mitigating its consequences and protecting millions of lives.
We welcome the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/80/111, entitled “Strengthening international cooperation and coordination of efforts to study, mitigate and minimize the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster”, adopted on 10 December 2025 as well as the report of the Secretary-General A/80/395, entitled “Persistent legacy of the Chornobyl disaster”.
We also welcome the UNESCO Decision 224 EX/30 adopted on 22 April 2026 to commemorate the 40th year of the Chornobyl tragedy, which highlighted the necessity of remembrance, transmission, and risk-awareness raising for current and future generations.
Forty years after the Chornobyl disaster, its legacy remains a global responsibility. Today, this legacy faces new risks because of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
We express serious concern over the damage to the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, caused on 14 February 2025 by a Russian drone strike, which poses serious risks to nuclear safety and long-term structural integrity.
We underline that the timely and comprehensive restoration of the NSC is essential to ensure nuclear safety and to safeguard the significant international investments made over decades.
We strongly condemn Russia`s attacks against civilian infrastructure of Ukraine, including nuclear-related facilities, and reaffirm that nuclear safety must never be compromised.
We firmly emphasize that all parties to an armed conflict, including an aggressor, are obligated to strictly comply with international law, including international humanitarian law and must categorically refrain from any actions that damage or destroy nuclear power plants. Any such actions may constitute a flagrant violation of the international nuclear safety standards and international humanitarian law. They risk the release of dangerous forces and are liable to cause severe, widespread, and long-term harm to the civilian population.
We welcome the significant efforts of Ukraine, in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as well as other partners, including the EU, the G7, the UN and other international organisations, to mobilise international support for the restoration of the NSC.
We will continue to explore possibilities for providing financial contributions, including new or additional support, and encourage partners to contribute, in line with their national procedures and capacities, to the timely mobilisation of the necessary resources.
We recognise that Russia’s war of aggression has caused a devastating impact on energy infrastructure and nuclear safety, both critical pillars of European security and global stability, and therefore demands a coordinated international response, particularly given the ongoing risks associated with the continued occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
We call for stronger joint action to stop Russia’s nuclear blackmail and prevent the return of nuclear threats to global politics. Russia must be held accountable, and global norms against nuclear intimidation must be upheld.
We will continue to coordinate closely, including through existing international mechanisms, to ensure the effective implementation of the concurred measures.
We reaffirm our shared responsibility to ensure the long-term nuclear safety and security of the Chornobyl site through coordinated international efforts.
We welcome the Memorandum of Understanding between the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Government of Ukraine on cooperation in the area of support for reconstruction of Ukraine, signed on 10 July 2025 in Rome on the margins of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025, as an important framework for enhancing cooperation in support of Ukraine’s recovery. We emphasise the importance of its timely and effective implementation and encourage continued cooperation in this regard, including in the context of preparations for the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 in the Republic of Poland.
