Ukraine has called on the European Union to include Russian state nuclear energy giant Rosatom in sanctions, Reuters reported.
Hungary has opposed the idea of restricting its cooperation on nuclear energy with Russia since the bloc’s first planned energy sanctions packages over the Kremlin’s bloody invasion of Ukraine began mentioning the atom.
In September last year, Budapest announced that Rosatom will begin building two new nuclear reactors in the country’s Paks nuclear plant, which produces almost half of Hungary’s electricity supply.
The plan to expand the Russian-built plant was agreed upon in 2014 and is designed to more than double its total energy output by 2030.
The project, worth USD 12.4 bn, is largely financed by Russia.
Russia's nuclear industry has not yet been sanctioned by the EU, and previous oil and gas sanctions packages by the bloc have met a reluctant reaction from the Hungarian authorities and have not won unconditional support.
(jh)
Source: Reuters, BBC