Ukraine needs an additional 150 million euros ($215 million) to complete nuclear safety work at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said on Tuesday.
"We have received funds - 100 million euros ($143 million), but another 150 million euros is still in needed," Yanukovych said.
"The funds we received allow us to begin the work at Chernobyl," Yanukovych added. He explained that referred to the creation of a new protective sarcophagus. According to Yanukovych, all construction will be completed in 2015.
The Ukrainian president also expressed hope for G8 support on this project.
The area around the Chernobyl plant, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, remains highly contaminated from an explosion at the plant's reactor number four a quarter of a century ago.
Vast areas, mainly in the three then-Soviet republics of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, were contaminated by the fallout from the major nuclear meltdown and some 200,000 people were relocated.
Over the last 16 years, Ukraine has tried to raise funds to build a new shelter over the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl to make the area environmentally safe. The total amount needed to implement the entire project is approximately $2.2 billion.
