The UN General Assembly adopted the resolution "Strengthening international cooperation and coordination of efforts to study, mitigate and minimize the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster", initiated by Ukraine and a group of states.
Points of attention
- The US and Russia voted against Ukraine's resolution on overcoming the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster at the UN General Assembly.
- The resolution recognizes the lasting effects of the Chornobyl disaster and emphasizes the need for international cooperation in supporting affected areas.
- The UN expressed concern over the damage to the safe confinement at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant due to a Russian drone attack, risking decades of safety progress.
The US and Russia did not support the Ukrainian resolution on Chornobyl at the UN
97 countries voted "for", eight voted "against", and 39 abstained.
Russia, Belarus, China, North Korea, Nicaragua, Niger, and the United States spoke out against the resolution.
All amendments from Belarus to the Ukrainian draft were rejected.
The document recognizes the long-term serious consequences of the accident, the needs of the affected communities and territories, and emphasizes the important role of the United Nations, in particular the Development Program, in the short- and long-term recovery of the affected territories.
The resolution expresses "serious concern" over the damage to the new safe confinement over the destroyed Chornobyl NPP power unit on February 14, 2025, as a result of a Russian drone attack, which "put at risk decades of international progress in ensuring the safety of the facility."
At the same time, the need for support from the international community in restoring the facility is pointed out.
The General Assembly encourages States and partners to support international cooperation on Chernobyl.
The document also provides for changes to the spelling of the name Chornobyl in English according to the Ukrainian transliteration instead of Chernobyl. Accordingly, the name of the International Chornobyl Disaster Remembrance Day, which is celebrated annually on April 26, should be corrected.
The General Assembly invited States, UN agencies, international organizations and civil society to commemorate this day in 2026 and decided to hold a special meeting on April 24, 2026, dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl accident.
