Since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, the Russian energy sector has been broadly targeted by 19 rounds of European sanctions. Coal, oil and gas have all been affected. However, the nuclear industry has been completely spared and remains the exception.
In Brussels, discussions about potential sanctions, initially planned for June 2025, were postponed. At a time when France is described as one of the main countries opposing a full ban on Russian nuclear deliveries, a report published on Wednesday, January 28, by the anti-nuclear NGO Greenpeace once again underscored that the trading of uranium, the fuel for nuclear power plants, continues between Paris and Moscow, shrouded in opacity.
The links between France and Russia on this issue have been extensively documented in recent years. Ships from Saint Petersburg or Ust-Luga, on the Russian Baltic coast, regularly continue to dock at the Port of Dunkerque, northern France, carrying containers filled with uranium in various forms. While France does not import natural uranium mined in Russia itself, the latest customs data analyzed by Greenpeace showed that between 2022 and September 2025, nearly half of these raw material imports came from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, two former Soviet republics.
Canada has the 3rd largest uranium reserves on the planet and ranks second in production.
From the article :
“Greenpeace noted that, as of early 2026, the Russian giant Rosatom “remains the main foreign player in mining in Kazakhstan” through its Canadian subsidiary Uranium One.”
So yes, but actually no.
It should also be noted that Russia and Wagner played a large role in the country of Niger cutting ties with France. Niger’s uranium mines were a colonial fuel source for many of France’s reactors.
As much as I don’t love colonialism, this is just colonialism with extra steps.
Hmmm not cool
Why not buy it from Kazakhstan directly?
Probably because Kazakhstan is a land locked country (the Caspian Sea doesn’t really count). So the options are to transport through either russia, iran or china. Through china is a much longer route, so it will be more expensive, and I’m not sure china would want to get uranium to France. Iran is not an option because of international sanctions that have been in place for a lot longer than the ones against Russia. And through Russia is by far the shortest route.
I understand it. There is difference between buying from and shipping via.
Russian giant Rosatom “remains the main foreign player in mining in Kazakhstan” through its Canadian subsidiary Uranium One. Orano, the French state-owned group, also operates in Kazakhstan, but its output is almost entirely destined for Chinese customers.
This is what prompted my question.
Who all is still trading with Israel despite their genocide?
“but whatabout…”
Sorry I intruded on your “Russia is uniquely bad” circle jerk.
Genocide bad. But topic: French/Russian relations. Expect downvotes for trying to hijack.
We do need to improve how we use the fediverse if we are going to cover topics fruitfully.
There’s more than one genocide currently happening, and if you are North American, you are passively participating. Please post that broader discussion in its own thread, it’s how discussion fora work. I will get you started: the genocide on turtle island hasn’t fully stopped. The Uyghurs are being erased. Island nations are being dispersed. Sudan is suffering. These are all urgent and connected, as with Gaza. We all have a stake.
Your list includes things that are not equivilent. The way the world (particularly “the west”) relates to Israel in the midst of its acute and asymmetrical destruction of Palestine is superlative to the others with the arguable exception of Sudan.
