Ukraine's decision to dispose of its all highly enriched uranium is beneficial for the country both from the scientific and political point of views, the Ukrainian foreign minister said.

During the nuclear security summit in Washington on April 12-13, Ukraine agreed to dispose of its all highly enriched uranium stockpiles by 2012. U.S. President Barack Obama met the decision by Ukraine, which was heavily hit by the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, with enthusiasm.

"Everyone spoke in favor of giving away highly enriched uranium and getting low enriched uranium in exchange," Kostyantyn Hryshchenko said in an interview with Ukraine's Inter television channel.

Russia said it is planning to import fresh highly enriched uranium from Ukraine as well as from Belarus and the Czech Republic, this year. The country also plans to import spent nuclear fuel from Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Serbia, and Belarus.