Germany approves French-Russian nuclear fuel rod JV, Rosatom exempt from EU sanctions

Published Jul 23, 06:07 AM UTC

German authorities approved a controversial joint venture between French company Framatome's subsidiary ANF and Russia's Rosatom to produce fuel rods for Russian-designed reactors at a facility in Lingen, Lower Saxony. The project, applied for in March 2022 shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has drawn sharp criticism from politicians and security experts who fear it will enable Russian espionage and sabotage at sensitive nuclear sites. Rosatom has been exempted from EU sanctions due to the lack of alternatives in civil nuclear energy. Lower Saxony's environment ministry approved the project but imposed strict conditions: Russian employees will only be allowed limited, supervised access, and Russian equipment must undergo external audits and remain separate from other installations. The approval can be revisited if new national security risks emerge. Critics, including CDU lawmaker Marc Henrichmann and the Greens, argue the deal gives Moscow indirect control over critical infrastructure and access to sensitive information. Germany, Ukraine's biggest backer, remains on high alert for hybrid warfare from Russia.