Finance
Greenpeace activists storm stage at france's nuclear summit, confront macron
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 10, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 10, 2026
Quick Summary
At the opening of France’s global nuclear summit in Boulogne‑Billancourt on March 10, 2026, two sharply dressed Greenpeace activists interrupted President Macron and IAEA head Rafael Grossi with banners condemning uranium imports from Russia, while other protesters blocked convoys outside.
Greenpeace Activists Disrupt France Nuclear Summit, Challenge Macron on Uranium
Greenpeace Protest at Global Nuclear Summit in France
By Gianluca Lo Nostro
Activists Interrupt Macron and U.N. Officials
PARIS, March 10 (Reuters) - Two Greenpeace activists broke onto the stage at the start of a global nuclear summit in France on Tuesday, interrupting President Emmanuel Macron and U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi as they were greeting heads of state.
The protesters, dressed sharply in black suits and ties, held banners bearing the Greenpeace logo and reading "Nuclear Power = Energy Insecurity" and "Nuclear power fuels Russia’s war".
Confrontation Over Russian Uranium Imports
One of them shouted at Macron, "Why are we still buying uranium from Russia?" to which the president replied, "We produce nuclear power ourselves."
France has its own uranium enrichment capacity, but also imports enriched uranium for its power plants, including from Russia, according to the latest customs data published by the French government.
Russia’s Role in Global Uranium Supply
Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom accounted for about 44% of the global uranium enrichment capacity in 2025, according to the World Nuclear Association, and European nuclear power producers have struggled to wean themselves off these supplies four years after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Greenpeace Actions Outside the Summit Venue
Around 15 Greenpeace activists blocked arriving convoys outside the venue in Boulogne-Billancourt on the outskirts of Paris on Tuesday, the environmental campaigning group said in a statement.
Summit Focus and Greenpeace Criticism
France is hosting the second world nuclear energy summit on Tuesday, where world leaders will meet to discuss and promote nuclear power.
"For Greenpeace France, the holding of such a summit is an anachronism, an event completely out of touch with reality and with the lessons to be learned from the tragic situations of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the strikes on Iran, and the impacts of the worsening climate disruption," the group said.
(Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro in Paris, Inti Landauro in Brussels; Editing by Andrei Khalip)
Key Takeaways
- •Greenpeace highlighted that while France has domestic enrichment capacity, it still relies on Russian-enriched uranium—its share in France’s imports dropped from about 67% in 2022 to 24% in 2024, with at least one delivery recorded in early 2025 (cdn.greenpeace.fr).
- •Globally, Russia’s Rosatom controls an estimated 40–44% of uranium enrichment capacity, underscoring Europe’s continued dependency on Russian nuclear fuel supply (ainvest.com).
- •France is expanding its domestic enrichment capabilities—Orano’s Tricastin Georges‑Besse II plant received a €1.7 billion investment to increase output by over 30%, aiming to reduce geopolitical vulnerabilities by around 2028 (lemonde.fr).
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Greenpeace activists storm stage at France's nuclear summit, confront Macron
1What happened at France's nuclear summit?
Greenpeace activists stormed the stage and confronted President Macron during the opening of the summit, interrupting the proceedings.
2What were Greenpeace's concerns at the nuclear summit?
Greenpeace activists highlighted nuclear power's risks, its link to energy insecurity, and ongoing uranium purchases from Russia.
3How does France source uranium for its nuclear plants?
France has its own uranium enrichment capacity but also imports enriched uranium, including from Russia.
4What is the importance of Russia in global uranium supply?
Russia's Rosatom accounted for about 44% of global uranium enrichment capacity in 2025, impacting Europe's nuclear energy sector.
5Why did Greenpeace criticize the timing of the summit?
Greenpeace called the summit an anachronism, claiming it ignores lessons from recent geopolitical crises and climate change impacts.
