DiXi Group calls to reduce Russia’s nuclear influence in the EU: advocacy visit to Germany
During an advocacy visit to Germany in November, DiXi Group presented its proposals to reduce the influence of the Russian corporation Rosatom on the European energy market and impose sanctions against it.
DiXi Group’s General Manager for Security and Sustainability Olena Lapenko met with German politicians, including Anton Hofreiter, Member of the Bundestag and Chairman of the Committee on European Union Affairs, and Christian Mayer, Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Protection of Lower Saxony.
Introduction of sanctions against Rosatom
At the meeting with Anton Hofreiter, Member of the Bundestag and Chairman of the Committee on European Affairs, the parties discussed ways to introduce direct sanctions against Rosatom and develop a common EU policy on diversification of nuclear fuel supplies for VVER reactors.
Olena Lapenko drew the MP’s attention to the work of the APIS consortium, established in 2023 to ensure the supply of fuel for VVERs without the participation of Russian companies. The project has 12 partners from eight countries.
“Europe is already taking steps towards independence from Russian uranium and nuclear fuel. The United States has introduced a gradual ban on the import of Russian uranium, and this can be an example for other countries,” said Olena Lapenko.
The expert also shared the results of DiXi Group’s analytical work on limiting cooperation and imposing sanctions against Rosatom.
Anton Hofreiter, Member of the Bundestag and Chairman of the Committee on European Affairs, agreed that the European Union needs to introduce a unified policy in the fight against the Russian nuclear machine.
“The Green Party supports sanctions against Rosatom. We are looking for ways to stop cooperation with this corporation, although it is difficult to reach a consensus among EU countries,” said Mr Hofreiter.
Risks of cooperation between Framatome and Rosatom
DiXi Group raised the issue of joint production of nuclear fuel in the German city of Lingen by the French company Framatome and the Russian company TVEL (a subsidiary of Rosatom) during a meeting with Christian Mayer, Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Protection of Lower Saxony.
During the joint meeting, the risks of the agreement between the French company Framatome and the Russian company TVEL on joint production of nuclear fuel in Lingen were discussed. Also during the meeting, Olena Lapenko, General Manager of Security and Sustainability at DiXi Group, presented to the Minister DiXi Group’s analytics, which contains information on Rosatom’s crimes at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, as well as an analysis of the risks associated with Russian nuclear technologies in Europe.
“Cooperation with Rosatom threatens the EU’s energy security. Russian specialists are already working in Lingen, and the production chain is fully controlled from Russia. This is unacceptable when an aggressor country uses the nuclear sector as a blackmail tool,” Lapenko said.
The Minister of Lower Saxony, Christian Mayer, expressed concern about cooperation with Russian nuclear corporations in Germany. He called for a thorough review and compliance with the entire decision-making procedure:
“We have to reduce our dependence on Russia and its influence in strategic sectors. There can be no compromise on security for Russia.”
Public outcry: press conference of civil society organisations in Hanover
At a press conference on 15 November in Hannover, DiXi Group, together with the German organisations .ausgestrahlt and AgiEL, called on the government of Lower Saxony to deny Framatome the expansion of the fuel cell plant in Lingen, which is planned in partnership with the Russian state corporation Rosatom.
During the press conference, Olena Lapenko outlined the threats posed by cooperation with the Russian state corporation Rosatom.
“Rosatom’s participation in the occupation of Zaporizhzhia NPP is a gross violation of international law and demonstrates that this corporation is a blackmail tool in the hands of the Kremlin regime, not a reliable partner,” said Lapenko.
At the press conference, representatives of .ausgestrahlt and AgiEL also emphasised the risks of espionage and sabotage. Bettina Ackermann, a representative of the national anti-nuclear organisation .ausgestrahlt, noted that Rosatom has direct access to information about Germany’s critical nuclear facilities and uses cooperation with Framatome as a means to influence the German market.
The Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment received more than 11,000 objections from the public, including from DiXi Group, which was concerned about Rosatom’s potential influence on the German nuclear sector. Public discussions on the possibility of issuing a permit for the expansion of the fuel cell plant in Lingen will take place this week.
The publication was prepared by the DIXI GROUP NGO with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation within the framework of the project ‘Improving Energy Security for Tomorrow’. The material reflects the position of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the position of the International Renaissance Foundation.
