Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with Russian counterparts regarding the protection of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and its protective shelter from further attacks.

We remain concerned about the situation at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and the potential risks to nuclear safety from reckless Russian drone strikes, as occurred in February 2025, that caused substantial damage. Notwithstanding the challenges posed by Russia's bombardment of Ukrainian energy facilities, we are working closely with Ukraine and international partners to repair the Chornobyl site - in October the G7 announced a €260 million funding commitment of which the Chancellor and Foreign Secretary announced the UK will contribute £17 million. We want these repairs to be undertaken as quickly and safely as possible, while recognising the challenging environment in which they will take place. We commend Ukraine for enabling access for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) teams to continue to monitor the facility and produce a comprehensive safety assessment.

The UK has a long-standing record of supporting nuclear safety at Chornobyl. The UK was a founding donor to the International Chornobyl Cooperation Account (ICCA) in 2020, when it took over responsibility for safety at the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. Our total donations to the ICCA total €8 million, making the UK the third largest individual donor behind Norway and France.

Ensuring the safety of the Chornobyl site is in the interests of all nations, including Russia, and Russia has been a signatory to agreements ensuring its safety and continued international access. The UK continues to call Russia to account on these commitments, including at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in April and IAEA Board of Governors. We will continue to monitor the ongoing situation at Chornobyl, including through our attendance at The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD's) Chornobyl conference in November.