Using Russian uranium should be sanctioned across EU - German econ min

Russian uranium should be made subject to sanctions since using it undermines efforts to weaken Russia’s capability for waging war on its neighbour Ukraine, the German economy and climate minister Robert Habeck has said on the sidelines of a visit to Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, news magazine Der Spiegel reported. Habeck said representatives of Ukraine’s government repeatedly had asked why Russian uranium could still be sourced without sanctions. “I believe there’s no good answer to that,” the Green Party politician said, adding that he would work towards penalising the use of Russian supplies. Sanctions should be introduced “even if this means that countries which still use Russian uranium have to adapt,” Habeck said, arguing that this step would be “tolerable” for affected governments. He also said the EU should intensify its efforts to ensure that existing sanctions for other energy carriers should be enforced more rigorously. “We have clear data indicating that these are circumvented by using third states,” the minister said, adding that this “is not at all acceptable.” Everyone involved should be aware that this undermines wider efforts to end the war on Ukraine, Habeck said.

Germany will end nuclear power production by 15 April, when the last three reactors are shut down. Russia supplied about half of all traded uranium in the world in 2022.