Thirty-four years ago, the largest human-made disaster occurred in the history of mankind. The accident at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities of the former USSR, placed a heavy burden on our country and had serious long-term consequences for both Ukraine and the entire world community.

According to the United Nations General Assembly resolution 71/125 "Persistent Legacy of the Chornobyl Disaster", 26 April is observed as the International Chornobyl Disaster Remembrance Day. 

Today, we bow our heads in sorrow, remembering the heroes who saved humanity from the global nuclear catastrophe at the cost of their lives and health. We also pay tribute to more than 5,000 highly qualified specialists who provide radiological and environmental safety daily in the exclusion zone, working to ensure that current and future generations are safely protected from radiation.

Despite the difficult period due to the external aggression, Ukraine is not only successfully fighting the consequences of the accident but is also making every effort to transform the Chornobyl zone from a "black hole" into a safe territory of change and modern technologies development.

We highly appreciate working together with our reliable partners, such as the UN, the IAEA, the EBRD, the European Commission, NATO, as well as many countries, on the implementation of international projects aimed at overcoming the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster, decommissioning of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and transforming the Shelter Structure into an environmentally friendly system.

Of particular note is the successful completion of a joint project with more than 45 donor states last year to construct the world's largest mobile facility, the New Safe Confinement, which is able to protect humanity for hundred years from the ionizing radiation of the destroyed Chornobyl power unit.

Despite the achieved results, Ukraine is facing many challenges on a daily basis related to both the management of the Exclusion Zone and the Chornobyl problem in general. We still have a lot of work to do. Therefore, we urge all those who care to continue constructive cooperation aimed at minimizing the long-term consequences of the Chornobyl disaster, in particular, to ensure the sustainable development of the affected regions.