UK-Russia pact reviewed after Ukraine unrest
THE UK government confirmed yesterday that it is reviewing a cooperation agreement with Russian state-owned nuclear energy company Rosatom due to the ongoing political crisis in Ukraine.
“[The UK] and Rosatom signed a memorandum of understanding on establishing a programme of commercial cooperation in civil nuclear energy in September last year,” said a spokesperson from the Department of Energy and Climate Change. “No decisions have been made on how this work will be taken forward, which is under consideration in the light of recent developments in Ukraine.”
Rosatom was not immediately available for comment.
Both the US and EU have imposed travel bans and asset freezes on those close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, after Russia took control of Crimea. The West has so far held off from implementing broader trade sanctions, unless Russia tries to seize more of Ukraine.
Tensions escalated yesterday when it emerged that a Ukrainian ultra-nationalist leader Oleksandr Muzychko had been shot dead by police on Monday night as part of a special forces operation.