Moscow, December 29, 2024 – The Europe Today: President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree officially terminating Russia’s participation in the framework agreement and protocol on the Multilateral Nuclear and Environmental Program (MNEPR). The decree was published on the government’s legal information portal on Saturday.
The MNEPR, established in 2003, was an international initiative aimed at fostering cooperation in ensuring the safety of spent nuclear fuel and managing radioactive waste. It involved Russia and several OECD member nations, including Belgium, the UK, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and the US, along with the European Union and other international organizations.
The decree also renounces the protocol on claims, litigation, and exemption from financial liability under the agreement. Initially, the MNEPR sought to address the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines and atomic maintenance ships in northwest Russia, as well as the cleanup of spent nuclear fuel storage sites.
Cooperation within the framework had already stalled between 2015 and 2017, as per the Russian Foreign Ministry. In November, a draft law proposing Russia’s withdrawal from the agreement was introduced in the State Duma. Lawmakers argued that the move would not result in “negative socio-economic or financial consequences.”
Under the terms of the MNEPR agreement, any party can withdraw by providing 90 days written notice to at least one of the designated depositories: the Russian Foreign Minister or the Secretary General of the OECD.
Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matvienko had previously called for an audit of Russia’s international agreements to identify those that are outdated or unfavorable to the country.
