Lithuania offers the EU a version of sanctions against Russian nuclear energy, which provides for exceptions for Hungary and a two-year transition period for the phase-out of existing contracts in EU countries.
The Reuters agency got acquainted with Lithuania's proposal.
"It is proposed to introduce individual restrictive measures for "Rosatom"... In addition, it is advisable to introduce relaxations on the basis of which operations, contracts or other agreements concluded with "Rosatom" can continue to be carried out for a fixed period, which will allow the member states of the European Union to complete the execution of these contracts or other agreements," says the March 17 political proposal, which has not yet been made public.
The document proposes to set this period for two years.
The EU has imposed 10 packages of sanctions against Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But the Russian nuclear power industry has not yet been subject to sanctions.
Hungary, where Rosatom intends to expand the Paks nuclear power plant, has vowed to oppose any restrictions on Russian nuclear energy.
The Lithuanian idea is an attempt to solve this problem and offers Budapest specific exemptions for the Paks NPP for a period of up to nine years.