Brussels (dpa) – In the first half of 2025, the EU imported liquefied natural gas from Russia valued at approximately 4.48 billion euros. This represents an increase from around 3.47 billion euros during the same period in the previous year, according to statistics from Eurostat.
Overall, liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports totaled about 26.9 billion euros in the first six months of this year, with the majority—around 13.7 billion euros—coming from the USA. The EU Commission noted that the United States was the leading LNG supplier to the EU in 2024, contributing nearly 45 percent of total LNG imports.
Unlike oil and coal, the EU has yet to impose sanctions on gas imports due to its dependencies. LNG and gas through the Turkstream pipeline continue to be delivered to EU member states. In light of the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine since February 2022, the EU Commission aims to completely phase out Russian gas from the market.
EU Commission advances import ban
Brussels plans to prohibit the fulfillment of long-term supply contracts starting January 1, 2028, and short-term contracts from June 17, 2026. For any new contracts, the cutoff date is set for January 1, 2026. This proposal is subject to negotiations among member states and the EU Parliament.
A spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Economics emphasized the need to minimize unilateral dependencies and avoid financing the war. Ensuring supply security and price stability remains a priority. (August 18)
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