According to media reports, Johnson said he wants the UK to get 25% of its electricity from nuclear power, up from the current 16%.

Gazprom Marketing & Trading Retail, which trades as Gazprom Energy and supplies gas to about a fifth of UK companies, is coming under pressure as companies withdraw from contracts following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a strategic partnership council. Earlier, Johnson met the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nayhan, in Abu Dhabi.

In collaboration with ENEA, Newcleo will build an electrical prototype of the lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) system, which will not use radioactive materials or nuclear fuel, to allow the study of thermo-dynamic, mechanical and functional performances.

But getting Saudi Arabia and the UAE to agree to pump more crude would require them to break a more-than-five-year partnership with Russia that has forged strong ties beyond oil — an uncertain prospect as they increasingly look eastward for political allies.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Mr Johnson said Russia’s president Vladimir Putin knew when he launched his invasion of Ukraine that “the world would find it very hard to punish him” because he had “created an addiction” to Russian energy.

Azerbaijan is willing to increase its gas supply to Europe via Turkey amid persisting concerns over natural gas supplies after Russia's invasion of Ukraine,

Following the meetings, Grossi posted pictures of the talks, giving an upbeat update: "Constructive and important meeting with Sergei Lavrov in Antalya, Turkey, this afternoon. We are making progress on the safety and security of nuclear facilities in Ukaine." "Important and forward-looking conversations with Dmytro Kuleba today in Antalya, Turkey. Progress being made on the safety and security of nuclear facilities in Ukraine."

The company added that the milestone of achieving 100 million degrees Celsius plasma has been verified by an independent advisory board consisting of international experts.

Regarding the status of Ukraine’s operational nuclear power plants, the regulator said eight of the country’s 15 reactors remained operating, including two at the Zaporizhzhya NPP.