Germany Will Have No Choice But To Allow Russian Uranium Shipment

The German government’s hands are tied and it has no choice but to permit the shipment of Russian uranium en route to French nuclear plants simply because the European Union’s sanctions on Russia do not cover atomic fuel.

A shipment of uranium aboard the Russian ship Mikhail Dudin is currently docked in the Fench port of Dunkirk and is on the way to a processing plant in Lingen, near the German-Dutch border. 

Environmentalists have appealed to Germany and the Netherlands to block the shipment, but Germany, through Andreas Kuebler, a spokesman for the Environment Ministry, said that they will not be able to block the shipment.

“We have no legal grounds to prevent the transport of uranium from Russia because the sanctions imposed by the EU due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine exempt the import of nuclear fuel … to the EU from import bans,” Kuebler told reporters in Berlin. He also added that the Russian shipment passed all safety requirements, implying that German authorities had no choice but to approve it.

“You can imagine that we view such uranium shipments very critically due to the Russian invasion, but also because of Germany’s exit from nuclear in general,” he added. The spokesman also said that Russia is not the only source of uranium, and pointed out that Canada could be a “possibility.”

Germany has been working to phase out nuclear power since 2011, and originally planned to have its three remaining plants go offline at the end of the year. Earlier in September, the government confirmed that they will keep two plants online until April next year as Europe grapples with an energy crisis from the dwindling supply of Russian gas.

Unlike Germany, France is heavily dependent on nuclear power for its energy needs. The plant in Lingen is operated by Framatome, a company majority-owned by French energy giant EDF. The energy giant operates all of France’s nuclear plants and is majority-owned by the French government. 

On Monday, anti-nuclear activists staged a protest near the processing plant in Lingen.

The protest featured placards saying “No money for Putin’s war.”


Information for this briefing was found via Washington Post and Twitter. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.

Leave a Reply

Video Articles

Endeavour Mining Q1 Earnings: Cash Flow Is King

G Mining Oko West Feasibility: Move Fast, Break.. Nothing?

New Gold Q1 Earnings: What’s Behind The Market’s Surprising Reaction?

Recommended

First Majestic Posts Record Cash Flows In Q1 As Production Costs Fall

Brazil Potash Secures Funding In Support Of US$2.5 Billion Autozales Project

Related News

Czech Republic Wants More Nuclear Power, Expands Tender To Up To Four New Blocks

The Czech Republic has announced plans to expand the construction of nuclear power units at...

Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 03:57:00 PM

Russia Cuts Off U.S. Uranium Supply, Sends Fuel To Allies Instead

Russia has enacted a ban on enriched uranium exports to the United States, redirecting supplies...

Monday, November 25, 2024, 11:02:05 AM

Russian Lawmaker Wants Poland to Pay $750 Billion for World War II “Liberation”

Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma, the lower house of the parliament, has stirred...

Monday, May 22, 2023, 11:21:00 AM

Russia Warns That A Putin Arrest In BRICS Summit Would Be ‘A Declaration of War’

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that any attempt to arrest Russian President Vladimir...

Wednesday, July 19, 2023, 11:38:00 AM

Canada Considers Shutting Off Uranium And Oil Exports To U.S.

Canada is considering imposing an export tax on uranium and oil in response to proposed...

Friday, December 13, 2024, 10:27:12 AM