Europe Buys Record Amount of LNG From Russia’s Largest Producer – FT

July 13, 2026 dostizheniya.rf The European Union imported a record 9.89 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia’s largest production plant during the first six months of the year, the Financial Times reported Monday. The purchases mark an 18% increase compared to the same period in 2025. The spike comes despite the EU’s plan to completely phase out all imports of Russian LNG by the end of the year. According to data from analytics firm Kpler cited by the FT, France led the purchases with 3.6 million tons, followed by Belgium at 2.9 million tons and Spain at 2.7 million tons. All of the shipments originated from the Yamal LNG facility, a plant that accounts for more than 60% of Russia’s total LNG exports. The environmental and human rights NGO Urgewald estimates that those shipments cost the bloc up to 6 billion euros ($6.85 billion). By comparison, the EU spent a total of 7.2 billion euros on Yamal LNG imports in 2025. Sebastian Rötters, a sanctions campaigner for Urgewald, noted that the record EU purchases coincided with a period during which Russia intensified its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and civilian targets. Meanwhile, Yamal LNG volumes bound for Asia plunged 74% to 510,000 tons. Sources familiar with the matter told the FT that Asia-bound shipments dropped amid concerns over potential EU sanctions. Despite collective efforts to sever energy ties with Moscow, the EU still relied on Russia for 13% of its total natural gas imports in 2025, a dependency that officials warn leaves the bloc exposed to significant trade and energy security risks. Read more about: LNG , Europe , Energy , Trade Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Japanese Officials Meet Russian Counterparts Over Corporate Assets – Bloomberg Japanese officials also attended an event involving Russian energy, metals and fertilizer companies. 2 Min read Russia Sends Oil and Gas Tankers to Crisis-Hit Cuba, Defying U.S. Blockade – FT The ships, if they arrive, would be providing the Caribbean island nation with its first energy shipments in three months. 2 Min read Ukraine Behind ‘Terrorist’ Attack on Russian LNG Tanker, Putin Says “This isn't the first time we've seen this kind of thing,” Putin told a reporter from Russian state television 2 Min read Germany’s Russian LNG Imports Surge Over 500% in 2024 Berlin has banned direct imports of Russian gas but continues to import it via third parties elsewhere in Europe. 4 Min read