Zelenskiy, Sandu mark Chornobyl anniversary
Leaders link disaster legacy to current Russia actions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Moldovan President Maia Sandu marked the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster in Kyiv, using the commemoration to draw parallels between Soviet-era secrecy and what they described as Russia’s contemporary conduct in Ukraine. Speaking at a joint news conference, Zelenskiy said the Russian occupation of the Chornobyl site in early 2022 showed Moscow had “no memory and no conscience,” and urged greater European unity and coordinated action to protect shared security, economic and energy interests.
Sandu, who traveled to Kyiv to show solidarity, said the 1986 catastrophe remains a reminder that threats posed by authoritarian regimes cross borders. She condemned the Soviet regime’s decision to conceal the disaster and said little has changed in the Kremlin, adding that the same contempt for human life is visible today in Russia’s behavior; she praised Ukraine’s resilience, innovation and resistance in the face of that threat.
The leaders met for talks covering security cooperation, energy resilience, economic links and cross-border initiatives, and Sandu joined commemorative events honoring Chornobyl’s victims. Officials stressed the need for international cooperation on nuclear safety and environmental protection, noting ongoing concerns about the New Safe Confinement at Chornobyl and the Russian presence at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
The visit underscored close Moldova–Ukraine ties and Moldova’s support for Ukraine amid heightened regional tensions. Both presidents framed the anniversary as a call for coordinated Western and regional action to safeguard shared infrastructure and security, and to ensure lessons from Chornobyl inform contemporary policy and preparedness.
