Energy security has once again taken on urgent priority in the European Union, as the Iran war reveals how exposed many member states still are to abrupt oil and gas supply shocks — despite the lessons of Russia's full‑scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago.

The crisis has prompted member states to reexamine their efforts to diversify and cut their reliance on external energy sources. It has also sparked a fresh push for nuclear power.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said last month that Europe's turn away from nuclear energy had been a "strategic mistake."

Brussels is now considering additional funding for nuclear, prioritizing the deployment of so-called Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in the bloc by the early 2030s.

Even in Germany, which completely switched off all its reactors, debate is raging over returning to nuclear.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz says the nuclear phase-out was a "serious strategic mistake" but "irreversible." His close political ally and Bavaria's state premier,…