Eight European Union member states continue to import Russian natural gas despite repeated calls to end energy ties with Moscow, EU energy spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said on September 19. According to her, Belgium, France, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain are still purchasing either pipeline gas or liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia. The European Commission has no data on the final use of this fuel once it enters the EU market, she added.
Tensions with Washington over energy imports
The persistence of Russian gas imports comes amid growing frustration from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been pressing EU and NATO allies to cut off all energy purchases from Russia. On September 13, Trump demanded that NATO countries fully ban Russian oil imports and impose tariffs of 50–100% on goods from China and India. Two days later, he criticized existing EU sanctions on Russia as too weak, insisting on a tougher approach.
Sanctions and energy dependency
The European Commission’s 19th sanctions package, adopted on September 19, proposed banning Russian LNG imports starting January 1, 2027 — a year earlier than initially planned. Previous measures already closed EU ports to shipments of Russian LNG destined for third countries, under the 14th sanctions package approved in June 2023.
Russia’s oil and gas exports remain the backbone of the Kremlin’s revenues, funding its economy and war effort in Ukraine. In 2024, EU states purchased a record 22 billion cubic meters of Russian LNG, up 19% from 2023. Pipeline deliveries fell sharply to 32.1 billion cubic meters, with current exports down to about 16 billion cubic meters — roughly 10% of pre-war volumes. Nevertheless, Russia’s share of the EU LNG market exceeded 20% last year, with Belgium, France and Spain among the main buyers.
Strategic dilemmas for EU states
Some European governments view Russian gas as a way to reduce production costs and maintain competitiveness against U.S. and Chinese industries. However, analysts warn that such short-term gains strengthen Moscow’s leverage over Europe and directly support its military campaign. Hungary and Slovakia remain vocal supporters of maintaining gas transit through Ukraine, citing the need for cheaper fuel. Yet their stance may shift under U.S. pressure, as Trump pushes to expand American LNG exports to Europe.
Reducing reliance on Russian energy is seen in Brussels as a strategic necessity. Cutting imports would not only weaken the Kremlin’s war financing but also encourage investment in renewable energy and diversified supply infrastructure across the EU.