Macron Urges Europe to Replace Russian Uranium with Central Asian

Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday highlighted Europe’s reliance on Russian uranium and called for new supply sources from Central Asia and other countries.

Speaking at an international nuclear energy summit in Paris, Macron said, «In the case of uranium, our dependence on Russia is real. But other countries produce uranium, and we must cooperate internationally to diversify and secure our supplies.»

He specifically named Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Canada and Australia as potential alternatives to reduce Europe’s exposure to Russian imports.

Macron described nuclear energy as crucial for energy sovereignty, decarbonisation and economic growth. He also announced that a nuclear policy council meeting will soon approve new measures under France’s multi-year energy programme.

The president stressed that international cooperation and standardisation in nuclear safety are vital, and said they would also support job creation in Europe’s nuclear sector.

Previously, Belgium and France opposed banning Russian uranium in the EU’s 20th sanctions package, as Moscow warned that Western countries would face higher costs while remaining indirectly reliant on Russian energy.

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