The Peaceful Atom That Pays for War: Why Rosatom Still Escapes EU Sanctions
The EU has every instrument it needs to squeeze Rosatom out of its market step by step, without putting its own energy security at risk The European Union has already adopted 21 packages of sanctions against Russia and is preparing a 22nd, potentially the largest yet, targeting around 1,600 individuals and companies . The logic is simple: the Kremlin will agree to a compromise peace once the war…
The European Union has 21 sets of sanctions against Russia, with one potentially being the largest. The Kremlin might accept a compromise peace if the war becomes too costly. However, the EU’s sectoral sanctions do not cover Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, creating a significant gap. The nuclear sector is the most politically resistant part of the EU’s energy de-Russification effort, according to Igor Popov, head of the United Ukraine Think Tank.
Five EU countries—Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia, Bulgaria, and Finland—operate Soviet-designed VVER reactors built for Russian fuel. The EU’s unanimity requirement for sanctions allows any single state to block action, a power Hungary has repeatedly used. Russia supplied 38% of enriched uranium, 23% of natural uranium, and 27% of conversion services to EU reactors in 2023, with 573 of 707 tons of imported nuclear fuel coming from Russia.
The EU paid over €700 million in 2024 for products and services linked to the Russian nuclear cycle. While change is happening—Bulgaria and Czechia have shifted most of their units to Westinghouse and Framatome fuel, and Hungary is switching to Framatome and Westinghouse by 2027—Rosatom’s real profit center lies in new plant construction.
Hungary’s €12 billion Paks II project, 80% financed by a Russian state loan, will not be repaid until 2031, with Rosatom holding exclusive fuel supply rights. Turkey’s Akkuyu project, built, owned, and operated by Rosatom for 60 years, also illustrates the corporation’s influence. Popov argues that banning new contracts and intergovernmental agreements without disrupting existing fuel deliveries could be a solution.
Additionally, imposing personal sanctions on Rosatom’s leadership could weaken the corporation’s financial position without halting a single delivery.
Written by urgent.news from UATV English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
