Discussing the geopolitics of nuclear energy

A day of roundtables

ERC GeoNuFE project kick-off events

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Since 2022, the invasion of Ukraine has triggered a rapid geopoliticization of nuclear energy. Governments in Europe and North America have launched initiatives to support their national industries in competing with Russia’s Rosatom in the global nuclear technology market. Simultaneously, efforts have intensified to reduce dependence on Russian-controlled fuel supply chains, amid concerns that Moscow could leverage these interdependencies for geopolitical influence. Rising uranium prices have prompted the reopening of mines, yet uncertainties remain over the capacity to convert raw materials into sufficient fuel for the next generation of reactors. Meanwhile, as Western policymakers focused on Russia, China unveiled an unprecedented acceleration of its nuclear energy expansion. As governments and industries compete to secure energy resources for AI-driven infrastructures, the availability of nuclear power is becoming a strategic concern, adding another layer of complexity.

The first months of Donald Trump’s second presidency have further disrupted these dynamics, raising critical questions about the future of nuclear energy geopolitics. Will Trump’s attempt to reset US-Russia relations lead to a reversal of Washington’s ban on Rosatom’s uranium products? How might a new global trade war reshape the uranium market? Beyond rhetoric, how will Trump’s « energy dominance » agenda materialize? How will other nuclear powers respond to these shifts? What are the implications for the non-proliferation regime in an increasingly competitive nuclear export market? Will Rosatom’s dominance in reactor exports be challenged—and if so, by whom and how?

Join us on June 6, 2025, in Brussels for a series of three roundtables bringing together leading scholars, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss the evolving landscape of nuclear energy geopolitics.

This event will also mark the official launch of the ERC-funded GeoNuFE project (Critical Geopolitics of Nuclear Fuel Supply in Europe), led by Assoc. Prof. Teva Meyer. https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101162722