EU / Ukraine The Ukraine and the European Union have signed two agreements aimed at increasing cooperation in the field of nuclear science and electricity generation. Specifically the deals will help coordinate efforts in promoting nuclear safety and in fusion research.
Under the safety agreement, the EU and Ukraine will focus on reactor safety research; radiation protection; waste management; decommissioning, decontamination and dismantling of nuclear installations; research and development on nuclear material safeguards; and prevention of illicit trafficking in nuclear material.
The fusion agreement should lead to co-operation on studies of plasma confinement, transport, heating and current drive diagnostics; developments in plasma theory, in particular the physics of fast ions and alpha particles, as well as studies of turbulent plasmas and non-linear plasma-wave interactions; fusion technology; and applied plasma physics.
The agreements should lead to improved exchange of information, samples, materials, equipment and personnel as well as training programmes and joint projects.
The agreements were signed in Kiev. The EU reconfirmed its willingness to consider financing to complete the Rovno 4 and Khmelnitsky 2 reactors, “in support of Ukraine’s decision to close the Chernobyl plant by the year 2000”.
