Germany pledges aid for Chernobyl protective shield repairs

German Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider has pledged support to Ukraine for the repair of the protective shield at the Chernobyl nuclear site. The steel structure, which covers a previously constructed concrete sarcophagus, was damaged by a drone strike in 2025. Experts warn that the shielding function is no longer guaranteed, necessitating urgent repairs to prevent the release of radioactive material.

Total repair costs are estimated at approximately 500 million euros, a sum the Ukrainian government is unlikely to cover alone. The German Federal Ministry for the Environment is planning to support the project with up to 50 million euros, requesting an extraordinary budgetary authorization for the 2026 fiscal year with payments due in 2027. Schneider emphasized that the repair will require a coordinated international effort, noting that a process has already begun among G7 nations.