Moscow assists partners in building sovereign nuclear industries rather than fostering dependency: Putin

President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia will launch by 2030 the world’s first nuclear power system with a closed fuel cycle, which will reuse spent fuel several times and drastically reduce the need for uranium supplies.

Putin made the announcement at the World Atomic Week international forum in Moscow, which gathered several world leaders, including International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi.

This mechanism will ultimately make it possible to almost completely solve the problem of radioactive waste accumulation and, crucially, essentially resolve the issue of uranium availability,” he said, describing the project as one of Russia’s proudest scientific achievements.


He noted that testing of advanced materials for the closed-loop system is already planned at a new International Research Center in Ulyanovsk, inviting international scientists to participate.

Putin was speaking at Atomic Week forum, moderated by Rosatom chief Alexey Likhachev, was attended by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Acting President of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing, Iranian Vice President Mohammad Eslami, Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev, and Grossi, among others.

Putin emphasized that Russia rejects “technological colonialism,” saying Moscow assists partners in building sovereign nuclear industries rather than fostering dependency. He also underlined that nuclear safety and strict adherence to non-proliferation remain priorities.

The Russian leader linked the future demand for nuclear power to the rapid growth of data centers and global green energy needs, arguing that nuclear plants provide unmatched stability, affordability, and environmental benefits.