Ukraine wants to stop Russia's nuclear project in Hungary: official note submitted

Ukraine has sent a note to the European Commission on intensifying cooperation in nuclear energy with Russia. It is about the expansion of a nuclear power plant in Hungary, which Rosatom is supposed to do.

The Ukrainian side demands that this project be stopped, said Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. He reminded that Rosatom is part of the Putin regime, supports its terrorist actions and endangers nuclear facilities.

"We expect that the previous decision on Rosatom's implementation of the project to build nuclear reactors in Hungary will be reconsidered... Against the backdrop of the Kakhovka HPP disaster and the occupation of Zaporizhzhya NPP, such steps look surreal," Shmyhal explained.

The Prime Minister stressed that sanctions against Russia should be strengthened, in particular in areas such as nuclear energy. "We have to do everything to make business as usual with a terrorist country impossible and not to support the Russian military machine," Shmyhal said.

What Hungary is planning

In early June, the head of Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, visited Budapest. There, he negotiated the expansion of the Paks NPP.

This is the Paks II project: the expansion of the nuclear power plant is estimated at €12 billion, financed mainly by a Russian government loan. At the same time, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said that the project had been agreed with other EU countries,

According to Szijjártó, "after successful discussions" on the expansion of the nuclear power plant with the European Union, construction "will receive a new impetus". Preparatory work is expected to begin in July 2023.

"Both Rosatom and the Hungarian government are committed to ensuring that the new Paks units are commissioned by the beginning of the next decade," Szijjártó said. That is why Hungary opposes sanctions against the Russian nuclear sector.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL, in April 2023, the G7 countries created a nuclear alliance against Russia. Its goal is to oust Russia from global nuclear fuel supply chains. The decision does not mean imposing sanctions against Russia's nuclear industry, but it does start a "long game" against it.

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