The nuclear industry has rarely appeared on sanction lists, with only a few notable exceptions, primarily in relation to nuclear weapons programs, as seen in the cases of Iran and North Korea. There are no major precedents with the broader nuclear sector becoming a direct subject of sectoral sanctions. The REPowerEU Roadmap, presented by the European Commission on May 6, 2025, paves the way for the EU’s full energy independence from Russia, including in the nuclear energy sector. Russia holds 40% of global uranium enrichment capacity and supplies 30% of the EU needs of enriched uranium, creating a structural dependency in nuclear fuel supply chains.
Nonetheless, calls to sanction Russia’s nuclear sector, particularly Rosatom, have been longstanding in the debates about strengthening sanctions pressure on Moscow. There are compelling reasons to pursue targeted sanctions on Russia’s nuclear industry, including Rosatom and its subsidiaries, as well as sectoral restrictions on the imports of uranium and the exports of nuclear-related technologies.
Russia is expanding its nuclear industry across multiple dimensions, not only in energy production but also in reinforcing its strategic military capabilities, including its nuclear forces and atomic fleet, but also conventional weapons. Moreover, Russia leverages its role in the global nuclear energy market as a foreign policy tool, extending influence in third countries through strategic partnerships and power plants construction. E.g., Russia’s expansion into African countries raises serious concerns about the nuclear safety and security, particularly in regions affected by conflict, where such infrastructure could be vulnerable to capture.
With renewed threats from Moscow, including the potential expansion of aggression against EU member states in the Baltic region and beyond, the EU must shift part of its sanctions focus toward Russia’s nuclear capabilities. These include both weapons and technologies that pose a direct threat in the ongoing war against Ukraine and in any potential future conflict. This is particularly urgent given that Russia’s nuclear doctrine has expanded over recent years, broadening the scenarios under which nuclear weapons might be used.
Russia’s nuclear infrastructure also serves as a channel to circumvent sanctions, acquire critical technologies, and secure foreign currency inflows. As the sector operates beyond full transparency and is largely shielded from external audits, it becomes exceptionally difficult to monitor transactions and enforce compliance.
Weakening Russia’s nuclear energy and weapons capabilities should be a key priority for the EU in ensuring long-term security. In fact, the nuclear sector could become one of the greatest threats if Russia’s aggressive ambitions continue to grow. Currently, the most comprehensive nuclear-related sanctions regime exists against Iran. That model could serve as a foundation for designing a sanctions framework targeting the Russian nuclear sector. Additionally, the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has already imposed extensive personal sanctions on individuals and entities tied to Rosatom and related Russian federal agencies.
Building on these frameworks, the EU should at a minimum align with the U.S. approach toward Russia’s nuclear monopolist setting clear phase-out deadlines and conditions. At best, it should move toward full designation of trade in the nuclear sector with Moscow. These efforts should be coordinated with the UK and other aligned partners.
This material was prepared by DIXI GROUP NGO with support of the International Renaissance Foundation within the framework of the project “Better Energy Security Tomorrow”. The material reflects the views of the authors and does not necessarily represent the position of the International Renaissance Foundation.