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U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE
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Office of the Spokesperson Today, the Department of State announced its intention to provide up to $100 million in available foreign assistance funding toward coordinated G7 efforts to ensure the continued containment of fissile nuclear material at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. For three decades, the United States and G7 partners have led efforts to secure nuclear material at the Chernobyl plant, with the United States providing more than $365 million in total funding towards the New Safe Confinement (NSC) arch that secures the main reactor areas. Initially built with a 100-year lifespan, the NSC was damaged last year in a drone strike during the senseless ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Without repairs, the NSC can no longer provide adequate protection, creating the specter of a dangerous leak of highly radioactive material in Europe. Consistent with the United States’ continued leadership on issues of nuclear safety and non-proliferation, working with Congress, the United States is proactively committing 20%, or $100 million, of the G7’s estimated $500 million cost to rehabilitate the NSC arch and ensure continued safety and security of the Chernobyl reactors and nuclear material. We call upon our G7 and European partners to follow suit and make substantial financial commitments to share the burden of these essential repairs.
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