US and EU to reduce dependency on Russia for nuclear materials

The United States and the European Union outlined a programme on Tuesday to reduce their dependency on Russia for nuclear materials and to diversify nuclear fuel supplies.

The EU-US Energy Council said it intended "to intensify cooperation to reduce dependency on Russia for nuclear materials and fuel cycle services" and that it supported efforts by EU member states to diversify their nuclear fuel supplies.

Last week, the Czech Republic announced it would cease sourcing fuel elements for its nuclear power stations from Russia from next year.

There have been calls in the past for EU sanctions on the Russian nuclear industry that could not be implemented on account of the dependency of countries like Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic on Russian fuel elements.

French nuclear power companies continue to maintain close links with their Russian partners.

Apart from supplying fuel elements, the services include disposing of radioactive waste.