Next EU sanctions on Russia should include nuclear energy, Germany says

“We have seen that Russia is deliberately using energy dependence to exert pressure. Therefore, the federal government has called on the European Commission to impose sanctions on the civil nuclear sector as well. This should be part of the next sanctions package,” he said.

EU members should become more independent of Russia, which still supplies nuclear fuel rods for power plants and stores radioactive waste on its territory, Habeck said.

"We have already come a long way in many areas, including energy. The nuclear sector is still open," the minister added.

Loyalty to the Russian nuclear industry can't be justified, Habeck believed.

“Nuclear technology is an extremely sensitive area, and Russia can no longer be perceived as a reliable partner here,” he stressed.

While he recognizes that a transition period is necessary to sanction Russian nuclear power, “it is important to start and not be afraid of decisive action,” he said.