Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck wants to advocate sanctions against countries that purchase uranium from Russia despite the war in Ukraine.
During his talks on this topic in Ukraine, the main topic was “the delivery of uranium for nuclear fuel rods to Europe from Russia,” said the Vice Chancellor on the way back from his two-day visit to Kiev.
Habeck said he was asked by Ukrainian interlocutors why the purchase of Russian uranium was still not sanctioned. “And I don’t think there’s a good answer to that.” At some point, however, this has to happen, “even if it means a change for the countries that still equip nuclear power plants with Russian uranium. But that seems reasonable to me, so I will work for it”.
“Sanctions are circumvented via third countries”
Habeck also insisted again on more consistent enforcement of existing sanctions against Russia. “We have clear data that the existing sanctions are being circumvented via third countries,” said the Green politician. “This is in no way acceptable, it must also be clear to everyone that this is not a game of hide-and-seek or a trivial offence, but this is about the sanctions that are supposed to help end the war in the end, and who bypassing it undermines those very efforts.”
Habeck came back to suggestions he had made in February. So there should be a so-called end-use control for goods fit for war. Companies would therefore have to “prove where the goods are so that they don’t just suddenly appear here in Donbass (in eastern Ukraine) via secret channels, on the side of the Russians”. According to Habeck, companies in non-EU countries that have illegally passed on goods to Russia should face sanctions. And anyone who knows about violations of sanctions must also report them, “otherwise it would be a criminal offense.” In another package of sanctions, “these and as many other measures as possible” should be decided, he demanded.
