U.S. President Barack Obama has said that the United States will meet its commitment to help Ukraine in its efforts to overcome the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster, the press service of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said, citing a letter by the U.S. president to his Ukrainian counterpart.
"I want to announce that the United States is pledging an additional $123 million to this effort, and we are encouraging other nations to increase their support as well," reads the letter.
Obama recalled that since the accident, the United States had provided some $240 million for projects to remediate the Chornobyl facility.
He also said he was gratified that the international community had mobilized to assist Japan to contain the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident and provide relief to its people.
"I commend your government for its assistance to Japan, including the offer of Ukrainian expertise gleaned from the Chornobyl accident. May the resilience of the Ukrainian people and their efforts to overcome the legacy of Chornobyl be an inspiration to us all as we look to the future," Obama said.
He said that the United States and the American people stood with Ukraine as it marks the 25th anniversary of the Chornobyl accident.
"We pay tribute to the heroic efforts of emergency crews as they struggled around the clock 25 years ago to contain the nuclear fallout and mitigate a humanitarian catastrophe," Obama said, adding that the "continued existence of an exclusion zone around the accident site serves as a powerful reminder that the lessons learned from Chornobyl must never be forgotten."
As reported, the head of the U.S. presidential delegation, Zbigniew Brzezinski, said in Kyiv on April 19 that the United States was pledging an additional $123 million for Chornobyl projects.
President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Thomas Mirow said on the same day that EUR 550 million in contributions had already been confirmed and that EUR 190 million more was required. He said that the bank was ready to increase its contribution by another EUR 60 million if other donors allocate additional funds. He said that about 30 countries served as donors.
