According to Eurostat, in the first half of 2025 the European Union brought in Russian LNG for EUR 4.48 billion, which is 29 percent more than in the same period the year before. In total, the EU imported liquefied gas worth around EUR 26.9 billion during this period. The largest share of imports, for EUR 13.7 billion, came from the United States. According to the European Commission, the USA was already the largest supplier of LNG to the EU last year, accounting for nearly 45 percent of full imports.
Why is the Union inactive picking up gas from Russia?
Unlike oil and coal, the EU has not yet decided to sanction gas due to its energy dependency. Russian gas is inactive flowing to associate States both in the form of LNG and through the TurkStream gas pipeline.
In 2024, it accounted for almost 19 percent of all imports into the EU, as reported by the European Commission. Eurostat reports that the EU brought together natural and processed gas from Russia worth EUR 15.6 billion.
In the face of the Russian attack on Ukraine since February 2022, the European Commission has decided to cut the EU completely off from Russian gas. According to Brussels plans, gas from Russia should no longer be sent to the associate States since 2028.
What precisely is the European Commission planning?
According to the Commission's proposal of June, as of 1 January 2028, the ban on long-term contracts for Russian gas has been in force. Gas imports under short-term contracts would have been halted earlier – as early as 17 June 2026.
In the case of recently concluded contracts, the import ban is to apply from 1 January 2026. The Commission's plans are based on EU trade and energy law. These plans inactive require negotiations and approval by EU associate States and the European Parliament. In the case of associate States, consent is needed from 15 of 27 countries, covering at least 65 percent of the EU population.
Effects on German companies
If the Commission imposes restrictions on imports, German State-owned energy company Sefe will besides be affected. The company continues to import liquefied natural gas from Russia on the basis of an existing long-term contract. Sefe, formerly acting under the name Gazprom Germany, was a subsidiary of Russian Gazprom. As a consequence of the war on Russia against Ukraine and the German energy crisis, the company went under state control.
How precisely will the import ban affect Sefe, we inactive don't know. "The full impact assessment of the European Commission's regulation on phase-out of Russian energy supply can only be carried out after its final adoption", said the company.
What about the consumers?
The Commission reassures consumers by ensuring that the planned actions are implemented in stages and in close coordination with EU associate States in order to reduce the possible impact on energy prices. According to the Commission, limiting the remaining Russian gas supply will not affect safety of supply.
The global gas marketplace offers adequate alternate sources. However, the Commission has provided for a alleged safety clause: if safety of supply in 1 or more EU associate States is compromised, it would be possible to temporarily suspend the ban on gas imports for these countries.
