The European Parliament has adopted a resolution urging European Union (EU) leaders to extend the sanctions against Russia introduced as a result of the war with Ukraine to include nuclear energy. The motion, was adopted by 489 votes to 36, with 49 abstentions.

The resolution "calls for the list of individuals and entities targeted by the sanctions to be expanded to include Russian companies still present on EU markets, such as Lukoil and Rosatom” It “reiterates its call for an immediate and full embargo on imports of fossil fuels and uranium from Russia, and for the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines to be completely abandoned".

It reads: “The European Parliament calls on the EU countries to adopt the 10th package of sanctions against Russia as soon as possible and actively propose new sanctions against new sectors and individuals…. The sanctions list should be expanded to include Russian companies still present on the European market, such as Lukoil and Rosatom". The European Parliament also calls for a "complete and immediate embargo on imports from Russia of fossil fuels, including oil and uranium."

It condemns “Russia’s illegal occupation of Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and, in order to mitigate the risk of a nuclear or radiological incident, supports the proposal to set up a nuclear safety and security protection zone around it, as proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency”.

However, EU sanctions have to be approved unanimously by its 27 member countries, and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has already made it clear that Hungary will veto any attempt to impose sanctions on nuclear energy. Hungary has plans for two new Russian reactors at its existing Paks nuclear power plant, which gets its nuclear fuel from Russia.

Following an EU-Ukraine summit in Kyiv, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a press conference with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky promised more stringent measures on the oil industry. However, she did not mention the nuclear industry. Von der Leyen said a 10th sanctions package will be agreed by 24 February, the first anniversary of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.

Image: View of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France