Ukraine urges EU to finally sanction Russia's nuclear giant Rosatom after new safety failures

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has urged the European Union to impose sanctions on Russia's nuclear giant Rosatom following a series of safety failures. Sybiha's call for sanctions came after Politico reported on violations of nuclear safety culture at a Rosatom project in Egypt, along with numerous safety, security, and engineering issues.

Ukraine has consistently warned against any cooperation with Rosatom and believes it's time to begin serious discussions about EU sanctions. The minister emphasized that no other nation understands Russia's unreliability in the atomic energy sector better than Ukraine itself, citing the Soviet cover-up of the Chornobyl disaster and its impact on the end of the Cold War and Ukraine's independence vote.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Rosatom has been involved in damaging the Chornobyl containment facility and attacking the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is currently occupied by Russian forces. Despite already having trade ties with Europe, Rosatom is also expanding its presence, with ongoing projects in Hungary, Turkey, and Germany.

While several EU officials, including Lithuania's Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys, have advocated for Rosatom to be sanctioned to cut off financial support for Russia's war efforts, EU sanctions require unanimous approval from all 27 member countries, and thus far, no agreement has been reached.