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Zelenskyy Announces French Support for Chornobyl and Swiss Aid for Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra at G7
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France will assist in restoring the protective sarcophagus at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant damaged by Russian attacks, while Swiss specialists will join efforts to rebuild parts of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra affected by the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on June 16, according to Ukrinform.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Évian, France, Zelenskyy said French President Emmanuel Macron had pledged support for repairs to the Chornobyl confinement structure.
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“France separately said that it understands the dangers posed by Russia's strikes and its use of drones, and that it will restore the sarcophagus at Chornobyl. I thanked him for this,” Zelenskyy said.
The announcement comes after the European Union previously committed €75 million to support the restoration of the protective shelter at the Chornobyl site.
Zelenskyy also said that during a meeting with Swiss President Guy Parmelin the previous day, the two sides had agreed on Swiss participation in the restoration of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, one of Ukraine's most important religious and cultural landmarks.
“We discussed the restoration of the Lavra, and they will work on this together with our specialists. Thank you, Switzerland, for this initiative and support,” the Ukrainian president said.
During the same meeting, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to announce a fresh package of sanctions against Russia, alongside new energy assistance for Ukraine.
According to the British government, the measures will “directly target Russia's illicit shadow fleet and financial networks used to evade Western sanctions and facilitate military procurement.”
As part of the package, the United Kingdom is poised to become the first country to sanction several vessels involved in transporting Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) that is already subject to restrictions.
The latest measures will bring the total number of shadow fleet tankers and Russian LNG carriers sanctioned by the UK to more than 600.
The sanctions will also focus on a network linked to the Russian state that is allegedly involved in secretly acquiring Western technology for the Russian military. In addition, several suppliers based in third countries accused of helping Russia move funds through international financial channels will face restrictions.
Alongside the new sanctions, London will expand its support for Ukraine's energy sector by committing £210 million (approximately $282 million) over the next two years to strengthen the country's nuclear industry. The financing, provided through UK Export Finance, will allow British company Urenco to supply enriched uranium to Ukraine's state-owned nuclear energy operator, Energoatom.
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Norway has already pledged more than $9.8 million to help restore the protective shelter at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant following damage caused by a Russian drone attack.
In a statement issued on June 11, the Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine announced that Oslo would also allocate around $9.9 million to support repair efforts aimed at restoring the containment structure.
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