European Union countries have spent approximately €7.28 billion since the beginning of 2026 on the purchase of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Russian Arctic Yamal LNG project, which has already exceeded the figure for the whole of 2025 (€7.3 billion).

Euronews reports this .

In the first eight months of this year, European ports received 156 cargoes of Russian LNG weighing a total of 11.39 million tons . This is 10.1% more than in the same period last year (142 cargoes weighing 10.34 million tons).

Overall, European ports received 88.9% of all global exports from the Yamal LNG project during this period.

Main buyers and the role of European companies

The main importers of Yamal gas to Europe were France (4.4 million tons), Belgium (3 million tons), Spain (2.7 million tons) and the Netherlands (1.1 million tons).

Shipping network details:

• Scottish company Seapeak and Greek-linked Dynagas control 72% of all LNG exports from Yamal;
• six Seapeak tankers transported 65 cargoes (4.73 million tons);
• Dynagas vessels transported 62 cargoes (4.5 million tons);
• Short voyages to EU ports allow Russian ice-class Arc7 tankers to quickly return to Siberia.

Analysts note that the increase in purchases is due to the desire of European companies to make the most of long-term contracts against the backdrop of higher gas prices and the blocking of alternative routes through the Middle East.

In addition, an official EU ban on the import of Russian LNG and the provision of related maritime services is set to come into effect from January 1, 2027.

European procurement

As reported, the European Union imported more liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Russian Yamal LNG plant in the first half of this year than ever before.

Ban on Russian gas

Currently, current European Union rules already prohibit the purchase of Russian liquefied gas under short-term contracts – that is, each shipment from the Yamal LNG plant requires confirmation from the customs authorities of the importing country that the sale is being made under a long-term contract.

However, the EU ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas under long-term contracts will come into effect from January 1, 2027. Pipeline gas supplies will also be banned later that year.

Russian LNG

In April, it became known that Russia’s largest producer of liquefied natural gas, Novatek, had created a company to build its own ships and floating structures amid a shortage of gas carriers due to sanctions.

In August last year, Russia’s largest liquefied natural gas producer Novatek found a buyer for gas from the sanctioned Arctic LNG-2 project for the first time since its launch in late 2023. Previously, buyers had refused to import gas due to the risk of falling under secondary US sanctions.

Refusal of Russian gas

As reported, the European Union began to impose a ban on the import of Russian liquefied natural gas on a short-term basis on April 25, 2026 .

Recall that earlier the European Union agreed on a faster than previously planned gradual withdrawal from Russian gas , seeking to completely sever ties with the former key energy supplier.

The agreement provides for a ban on imports of liquefied natural gas from the Russian Federation until the end of 2026 and the cessation of pipeline gas supplies under long-term contracts until September 30, 2027.

As reported, in early October, ambassadors of the European Union countries agreed to continue implementing the plan to stop importing Russian oil and gas until 2028, despite objections from Slovakia and Hungary.

In early September, European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jorgensen said that after the European Union adopted a decision to completely abandon Russian energy resources, this should mean that even after peace is established in Ukraine, the EU will not return to purchases from Russia .

In mid-June, the European Commission adopted a legislative proposal aimed at phasing out imports of Russian gas and oil into the European Union by the end of 2027.

In early May, the European Commission presented the REPowerEU Roadmap , which should ensure the achievement of the EU’s complete energy independence from Russia. Джерело: https://censor.net/ua/n4023003

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