Germany imported at least 68.6 tons of uranium from Russia in 2024, up 70% from the previous year, according to the German broadcaster DW. The data was released by the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Protection of the state of Lower Saxony.
Notably, the uranium was supplied by two subsidiaries of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), despite the European Union (EU) embargo imposed over the conflict in Ukraine. This material is used to operate nuclear power plants, a sector that Germany has officially abandoned since 2022.
The uranium shipments are sent to the Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF) plant in Lingen, which manufactures nuclear fuel rods. ANF is a subsidiary of Framatome, France's leading nuclear equipment manufacturer.
Although the EU has imposed sanctions on many Russian sectors, uranium remains outside the embargo list. The reason is that the EU has not imposed a ban on the import or export of nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes. This allows Russia to continue to maintain uranium supplies to Germany.
The German Federal Ministry for the Environment confirmed that this import remains legal under current EU regulations.
While Germany seeks to reduce its dependence on Russian energy, Hungary has chosen a different path. Russia is building Europe's safest nuclear power plant in Hungary, according to Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev.
"The company is about to pour the first concrete blocks. We are honored to build a nuclear reactor for our friends in Europe and we will do everything possible to make it the most beautiful, the most modern and the safest plant in the European Union," said Mr. Likhachev.
The Paks-2 project will add two new reactors, reducing Hungary’s reliance on imported natural gas for electricity. With half of its current electricity generated by the former Soviet-built Paks nuclear plant, the project is expected to strengthen Russia’s position in the European energy sector.
Although Germany has abandoned nuclear power, importing uranium from Russia amid political tensions has sparked controversy, with many observers seeing it as a manifestation of incoherence in Europe's energy strategy.
