Ukraine Calls for New Level of International Cooperation on Nuclear Safety

KYIV, Ukraine, April 20, 2011 - The Kyiv summit for safe and innovative use of nuclear energy
- the initiative of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, has become a
public discussion forum for representatives of more than 40 countries,
including the G8 and EU countries and international organizations from all
over the world. The Summit is directly linked to commemoration of the 25th
anniversary of the Chornobyl catastrophe.

Kyiv summit became an event where the world leaders
acknowledged that nuclear safety does not recognize national borders and
requires global response and all parties have to work together to meet all
the challenges related to the use of nuclear energy and technologies.

Ukraine shares the vision that nuclear safety is integrally
connected to the exchange of innovative ideas on designing, planning,
construction and maintenance of nuclear facilities. Particular importance of
safe nuclear energy is proven by Ukraine's experience while overcoming
large-scale humanitarian and security consequences of Chornobyl disaster.
Ukraine has called other countries that possess nuclear facilities and have
not acceded to the Convention on Nuclear Safety to join it. This will allow
for global application of more rigorous safety norms on all nuclear power
plants, said Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.

According to Ukraine's announcement during the 2010 US nuclear
security summit most of Ukraine's enriched uranium has already been disposed
ofand the rest of it will be removed before the Seoul summit in April 2012,
informed President Yanukovych. To-date, Ukraine has disposed of about 106 kg
of weapons-grade uranium, said Ukrainian president.

Ukrainian nuclear power plants have gone through a meticulous
modernization of power units, increasing their safety. For the first time
ever a unique comprehensive safety assessment of all nuclear power units in
the whole country has been conducted through the EU-Ukraine-IAEA joint
project in Ukraine. As a result, IAEA experts and the EU have established
compliance of all units of Ukrainian nuclear power plants with modern
requirements of the IAEA's nuclear security measures.

Currently, there are four operational nuclear power plants in
Ukraine: the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which is the largest in Europe,
the Rivne atomic power plant, Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant and
South-Ukrainian nuclear power plant. The infamous Chornobyl nuclear plant was
completely shut down in 2000.

For more information, contact Maryna Khorunzha +380443324784
news at wnu-ukraine.com, Project Manager at Worldwide News Ukraine