The German Foreign Minister stated that Nord Stream 2 does not comply with European energy law and that the pipeline is currently impossible to approve. How do you interpret the Foreign Minister’s statement?

Thanks for the invitation. Let me provide some background. In 2019, Germany adopted the European Energy Law, which mandates a ‘separation of powers’ among energy production, transportation, and supply—i.e., these three functions must be carried out by separate entities—to prevent any single company from monopolizing pricing. Currently, Nord Stream 2’s production and transportation are handled by Gazprom (Russia’s state-owned gas giant), while its operation is managed by Nord Stream AG (NS AG). On the surface, this appears to satisfy the separation requirement. However, in reality, Gazprom holds 51% of NS AG’s shares, with German companies holding 15.5%, Dutch firms 9%, and French firms 9%. Thus, Russia retains absolute controlling interest—and, effectively, final decision-making authority. Since Gazprom is a Russian state-owned enterprise ultimately answerable to the Russian government, many Germans view this arrangement as violating the European Energy Law—equivalent, in their eyes, to allowing President Putin to control European natural gas prices. That said, the vast majority of Germans do not share this view.

The German Chancellor stated that ‘Germany will help resource-rich countries build processing facilities,’ and media reports suggest this initiative aims to reduce dependence on China. Is Scholz’s plan feasible?

Germany—the longtime anti-nuclear pioneer—has begun ‘restructuring’ the nuclear industry within the EU, following the shutdown last weekend of its last three nuclear power plants. Robert Habeck, Germany’s Vice Chancellor and leader of the Green Party, recently called for including sanctions against Russia’s nuclear energy sector in the EU’s 11th round of sanctions against Russia. He emphasized that nuclear technology is an extremely sensitive domain—and that Russia is no longer a trustworthy partner for Europe. On Monday, Germany’s Ministry for Economic Affairs also announced it is pushing the EU to incorporate the civilian nuclear energy sector into its new sanctions package targeting Russia. Compared to Russia’s oil and natural gas sectors, its nuclear energy industry has long operated like a hidden ace beneath the surface—one so weighty that the EU quietly omitted it from its first ten rounds of sanctions. France: Feels Targeted Rosatom—the Russian state nuclear energy corporation, which evolved from the Soviet Ministry of Atomic Energy—is globally pivotal in nuclear energy production and construction. Notably, France—a leading nuclear power—has deep ties with Rosatom: its nuclear giant EDF co-owns several joint ventures with Rosatom and has signed multiple cooperation agreements, particularly in nuclear fuel production and enrichment. Russia also serves as France’s primary destination for nuclear waste exports. As recently as March this year, Framatome—a company in which EDF holds shares—applied to German authorities seeking approval to jointly build a nuclear fuel production facility with Rosatom in Lower Saxony. Should the EU adopt Germany’s proposed sanctions against Russia’s nuclear energy sector and related entities—including Rosatom—France’s nuclear industry would find it nearly impossible to remain unaffected. Even more critically, 70% of France’s electricity comes from its 56 domestic nuclear reactors; any disruption in nuclear fuel supply or supporting services could force France back to pre-industrial-era energy conditions. Germany is fully aware of this vulnerability. Last weekend, Sven Giegold—State Secretary at Germany’s Federal Ministry of Finance—specifically named France, urging its support for sanctions against Russia’s nuclear sector. He added that Germany would strive to convince France and other countries undergoing energy transitions. Estonia, Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania—staunchly anti-Russian nations—are already eager to advance this plan, whereas Hungary and other countries with vested interests have openly opposed it. France has yet to issue an official statement—but it is widely regarded as one of the strongest voices within the EU opposing sanctions on Russia’s nuclear energy industry. The Unassuming Trump Card Germany may flip the nuclear energy sector with relative ease—but for the EU as a whole, the nuclear industry occupies a highly sensitive position. France exemplifies a nuclear-dependent nation. For several years, it has served as the EU’s top electricity exporter, supplying roughly 15% of total European electricity. Although last year’s heatwaves and aging infrastructure severely curtailed French electricity exports, its generation capacity remains a critical pillar of the EU’s power grid. Meanwhile, having severed ties with Russian crude oil and natural gas—and accelerating its transition toward renewable energy—the EU energy market has experienced partial supply shortages. Many member states now regard nuclear energy as a viable alternative energy source, assigning it heightened strategic importance in national energy planning.

German State Minister Urges Block on Plant Making Parts for Russian Reactors

21 hours ago

A German state minister urged blocking a plant producing components for Russian reactors due to security concerns regarding Rosatom cooperation. EU-wide sanctions are considered necessary to address the issue, while environmental groups plan legal challenges against the project approval.

reuters

2026-10-07

German State Minister Urges Block on Plant Making Parts for Russian Reactors

German State Minister Urges Block on Plant Making Parts for Russian Reactors

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