German Nuclear Fuel Plant Cleared to Work With Russia's Rosatom

By Reuters July 22, 2026 Anton Vaganov / TASS Germany on Wednesday approved an application by French firm Framatome to produce nuclear fuel rods under a licensing agreement with state-backed Russian firms despite political concerns, arguing it lacked the legal basis for a rejection. A Framatome subsidiary had applied to produce at its plant in northern Germany fuel elements to supply nuclear plants in the eastern European market using Russian licenses and technology in a joint venture with Russian firms TVEL/Rosatom. Despite political concerns due to Russia's war in Ukraine, the environment ministry in the state of Lower Saxony with guidance from the federal environment ministry granted the necessary approval subject to certain conditions. A spokesperson for the federal ministry said that while the government in Berlin has a critical view of the cooperation with a Russian state-owned company, the decision was made in accordance with the relevant nuclear laws of Germany. "The appropriate instrument to address this, however, is not nuclear law, but rather EU-wide sanctions, including those in the nuclear sector," the ministry said in a statement. "So far, however, a majority of member states has not supported such sanctions. Therefore, we continue to advocate strongly for EU sanctions against Russia in the nuclear sector," it added. Framatome welcomed the decision. "This decision strengthens European energy security, supports industrial sovereignty and reaffirms our commitment to providing safe and diversified fuel supply solutions to nuclear operators across Europe," Framatome said in a statement. The French nuclear reactor parts company has argued the collaboration is an interim step to help customers operating Russian-designed reactors to diversify away from direct Russian purchases until it develops its own production technology. Its application had drawn tight scrutiny from the German authorities including over security and sabotage concerns. The license now granted features a number of stipulations to mitigate these risks, including an entry ban to the facility for TVEL or Rosatom employees as well as external security audits of equipment and fuel rods arriving from Russia. There is so far no EU agreement on an extension of sanctions on Russia to the nuclear power sector, but Germany was working towards that, a ministry spokesperson told Reuters. Read more about: Rosatom , Germany , Nuclear , France Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Ambassadors of Britain, France and Germany Hold Talks With Senior Russian Diplomats Earlier in the week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hinted at the upcoming talks while claiming the ambassadors were “begging” to meet with... 1 Min read Russia, Vietnam Advance Plans for First Nuclear Power Plant Vietnam is seeking to shore up its fuel reserves at a time of disruption to energy supplies caused by the war in the Middle East. 2 Min read Germany Says Will Not Be ‘Intimidated’ by Putin’s Nuclear Threats Putin on Sunday threatened to relaunch production of intermediate-range nuclear weapons if the plans go ahead. 2 Min read Russia’s Nuclear Imports Likely Larger Than Declared – Greenpeace The shipments have sparked outcry from environmental activists.