G7 pledges €260 million for repairs to Chornobyl’s damaged protective shelter
The commitment covers part of an estimated repair need of at least €500 million after a February 2025 drone strike damaged the structure over Reactor Four.
The G7 pledged €260 million on 15 October for urgent repairs to the New Safe Confinement at Chornobyl in Ukraine, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said. The protective structure over the remains of Reactor Four was severely damaged in a February 2025 drone strike, and the bank estimates that restoring it to full functionality will cost at least €500 million.
The pledge was announced at the IMF and World Bank Autumn Meetings in Bangkok after G7 finance ministers met, according to the EBRD. The group comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The bank said the G7 had called on other international partners to contribute toward the remaining repair costs.
Why Chornobyl’s protective shelter needs repairs
The New Safe Confinement contains the remains of Reactor Four and allows the original sarcophagus, built after the 1986 nuclear accident, to be dismantled safely. The EBRD said a Russian drone strike on 14 February 2025 breached both its inner and outer cladding and damaged critical systems. The bank said the strike severely compromised the structure’s ability to contain radioactive material and support the dismantling work.
The UK government announced £17 million in new support for repairs intended to restore the shelter’s confinement and ventilation functions and protect its intended lifespan. That contribution forms part of an international programme coordinated by the EBRD with Ukraine and G7 donors. NewsJaws previously reported the UK’s £17 million pledge; the G7 announcement sets out the broader commitment to the repairs.
Funding gap and repair deadline
The €260 million pledge covers just over half of the EBRD’s stated minimum repair need of €500 million. The bank said repairs must be completed by 2030 to limit corrosion risk to the steel arch and safeguard the structure’s 100-year design life. It plans to convene a donor conference in Paris on 9 November 2026, co-chaired by France, Ukraine and the EBRD, to address the funding need.
The EBRD has led international efforts to stabilise and manage risks at Chornobyl since 1995. It said those efforts have mobilised more than €2.5 billion in international contributions, alongside more than €700 million of its own resources for nuclear safety and decommissioning projects at the site.
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Sources and context
- G7 countries pledge 260 million euros to repair Chornobyl safety infrastructure damaged in Russian attackKyiv Independent
- Britain funds critical repairs to Chornobyl nuclear power plant damaged by Russian drone attackHM Treasury and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
- EBRD welcomes G7 commitment to finance urgent repairs to Chornobyl’s protective shieldEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.