The United Arab Emirates is discussing involvement in the Russian state atomic energy corporation Rosatom’s projects in third countries, including Turkiye, as an investor, according to Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev.

He has stated that “We’re actively inviting our UAE partners to our projects in third countries, and they’re displaying an interest in projects in Central Asia as investors.”

Rosatom has proposed to the UAE that it build a large and a small nuclear power plant in the UAE and had previously mentioned that “discussions are underway on attracting investors to the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkiye.”

Rosatom is already collaborating with the UAE in the transportation sector. For example, Rosatom has a joint venture with the Arab port operator DP World (DPW) to ship containers along the Northern Sea Route.

Rosatom Deputy CEO Ilya Rebrov said in an earlier statement that Rosatom’s Supervisory Board had approved attracting foreign financing. These have included preparations to issue Atomenergoprom bonds in Chinese RMB Yuan, as well as Islamic bonds (sukuk), to finance the Akkuyu NPP construction project in Turkiye.

The Russia-Turkiye intergovernmental agreement on implementing the Akkuyu NPP project allows for the possibility of selling a 49% stake in the project, Rosatom said in summer of 2025, amid news on such negotiations, suggesting that the UAE may be a likely investor.

Russia’s Pivot to Asia