Made in Germany, Licensed in Moscow
Framatome says production in Germany will help secure supplies for Eastern European nuclear power plants. Diana Sushkova, a Ukrainian energy expert, sees it instead as a back door for Rosatom. The finished product will be labeled as European, while Moscow retains control of the underlying technology.
The arrangement echoes Germany’s former dependence on Russian natural gas. The close economic relationship was long regarded as reliable and inexpensive. After invading Ukraine, Russia used its energy supplies as an instrument of political pressure.
In the nuclear sector, Russian influence extends far beyond uranium exports. Rosatom supplies fuel, spare parts and technical standards for Soviet-designed reactors. Many operators cannot quickly switch their plants to Western systems and therefore remain dependent on Russian components to keep them running.
Production in Lingen shifts part of the manufacturing process to Europe. TVEL, however, will remain involved as the licensing and technology partner. Russia will profit from the business and retain access to a strategically important part of Europe’s nuclear supply chain.
Russia earned around €700m ($760m) from exports of enriched uranium in 2024. While the EU has imposed sanctions on banks, raw materials and industrial companies, Russia’s nuclear industry has largely been spared.
Ville Niinisto, a Finnish Green member of the European Parliament, has therefore called for a complete ban on Russian nuclear exports. He says Moscow also uses the sector as an instrument of foreign policy.
Berlin and Lower Saxony Shift the Blame
Only after the expansion was approved did the dispute over responsibility begin. Lower Saxony points to the federal environment ministry, saying Berlin had concluded that there was no legal basis for rejecting the project.
The federal government, however, denies having instructed Lower Saxony to approve it. It says the state ministry acted independently. Lower Saxony granted approval after Berlin found no legal grounds for refusing it, yet neither side now wants to accept responsibility as criticism mounts. Instead, both are calling for action at the European level. The European Commission previously announced restrictions on Russian enriched uranium and other nuclear products, but has yet to present a proposal.
A formal EU sanctions decision would be politically difficult because it would require the approval of every member state. Hungary remains heavily dependent on Russia for its nuclear reactors. France has also been accused of obstructing measures against Rosatom. Paris, however, says no formal proposal was ever put forward for it to block.
High tariffs on Russian nuclear products are seen as an alternative. They could be introduced without unanimous approval. The Commission is considering this option, but has yet to propose any rules.
Ultimately, the deal demonstrates not only how heavily many European countries still depend on Russia in the energy sector, but also the glaring lack of credibility in the sanctions policies pursued by individual governments and the EU. Where no alternative has been found, cooperation with Russia quietly continues.
