Hungary To Reject Nuclear Fuel From Russia

Budapest was previously the main obstacle to EU sanctions against Rosatom.

Hungary will achieve energy self-sufficiency by rejecting Russian nuclear fuel in favour of French and other steps. This was announced by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban behind closed doors at a government meeting in Kötzsch, the newspaper Telex quoted sources as saying.

Orban announced the future rejection of Russian nuclear fuel and unveiled his 15-point development plan for the country. With its help, the authorities want to ensure that Hungary becomes "big, strong and rich" and that the world respects it.

Ukraine has imposed sanctions on Russia's nuclear industry, but Western countries have not joined in. Moreover, exports of Russian nuclear fuel and technology have actually increased since February 2022.

There are 16 VVER-440 reactors in Europe, similar to those in Paks, which use only Russian fuel. Hungary has been more active than any other EU country in resisting the introduction of restrictions on Russia's nuclear industry.

The Ukrainian authorities have imposed sanctions on Russia's nuclear industry on their own. In September, it received its first shipment of nuclear fuel from the US company Westinghouse. "The greatness of this day is the end of the Russian monopoly in this segment of the nuclear fuel market. And I hope that this day will pave the way for swift sanctions against the Russians in the nuclear power industry," announced Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.