German minister in Kiev: Chernobyl protection must be repaired

German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider pledged to help Ukraine repair damage to the protective shelter covering the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site during a visit to Kiev on Tuesday.

"Germany stands firmly by Ukraine's side," he said. Schneider was to visit the exclusion zone surrounding the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which suffered the catastrophic accident in 1986. 

The steel arch covering the site was damaged in a drone attack during the current Russia-Ukraine war.

"The damaged protective shelter over the destroyed reactor must be repaired," Schneider said. According to experts, the shielding function of the steel structure is no longer guaranteed. Management estimates the cost of repairs at around $580 million.

According to a statement from his ministry, Schneider said repairs would be highly complex and would require joint international effort. "A process involving the G7 countries has already begun," he said.

Schneider said that Germany backed Ukraine on its path towards accession to the European Union. The minister was accompanied by a business delegation interested in investing in Ukraine.

"This is particularly important right now," he said. "July was one of the most difficult months for the civilian population since the beginning of Russia's war of aggression. It was the month with the highest number of civilian casualties since May 2022," Schneider said.

He said Germany had a lot to offer Ukraine in the field of green technologies. "Both sides benefit from this: Ukraine gets modern and resilient infrastructure, while German companies gain an important market of the future," he said.