Sanction instead of Cooperation
Ending Global Reliance on Russia’s Nuclear Energy Sector
Andrea Stricker, Anthony Ruggiero
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Russia’s nuclear industry is exempt from Western sanctions. The reason is the great importance of the state-owned company Rosatom for the global nuclear industry. The United States and west European countries have also been dependent on Rosatom for the extraction, conversion, and enrichment of uranium. All east-central and east European countries where VVER reactors are in operation obtain fuel rods from Rosatom’s subsidiary TVEL. Rosatom is building nuclear power plants in several countries around the world, and there are also contracts with governments for reactors whose construction is to begin in the next few years. Nonetheless, sanctions against Rosatom are possible. A concerted effort by Western countries is needed to create investment incentives for alternative providers.
(Osteuropa 1-2/2023, pp. 3–18)