Nuclear Monitor #929
Jan van Evert, reporter WISE-Netherlands
Despite the war in Ukraine the French energy corporation Framatome continues to cooperate with the Russian company Rosatom. The French nuclear industry is heavily dependent on Russian uranium supplies and already signed a long-term strategic partnership with Rosatom in 2021. Framatome operates the German nuclear fuel facility in Lingen, Eastern Germany, through its subsidiary Advanced Nuclear Fuels. The company produces fuel elements for Soviet-designed nuclear power plants with Russian help. Framatome, a subsidiary of the state-owned energy group EDF, wants to use its partnership with Rosatom to win new customers in Eastern Europe.
Rosatom, which was founded by President Putin in 2007, is a state entity in charge of nuclear weapons; it reports to him directly. It is also directly involved in the war against Ukraine. Because it is not on any Western sanctions list that were created since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it has offered to supply important components to Russian arms manufacturers who are under those sanctions. France and also Hungary consistently block new EU nuclear sanctions against Russia. Rosatom manager Lichatsjov said in the Russian parliament that his company is developing non-nuclear weapons and military equipment “some of which have already gone into series production and are being deployed in the special military operation in Ukraine”.
Europe imported $700 million worth of Russian uranium products last year, the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel calculated in April. While that is a sharp drop from the pre-war situation, analysts warn of the political influence it gives Moscow. Rosatom has a share of twenty percent of European uranium supply which enables it to influence customers and the market.
Sources:
https://www.rosalux.de/en/news/id/51556/rosatom-is-putins-geopolitical-arm
