Research Indicates that European Imports of Russian Gas Have Increased Significantly Despite Imposed Sanctions

January 28, 2025 TruthUSA

An analysis revealed that imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the European Union increased by 19.3% from 2023 to 2024.

European demand for Russian LNG remains strong, despite sanctions imposed on Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine, as per a report by environmental organizations released recently.

A study titled “A Bumper Year for Russian LNG Exports to the EU – Abetted by Germany” conducted by environmental organizations such as Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), Urgewald (Germany), Razom We Stand (Ukraine), and Bond Beter Leefmilieu (Belgium) indicated that Russian LNG imports to the EU grew by 19.3% between 2023 and 2024.

These organizations revealed that Kremlin-supported gas accounted for 3% to 9.2% of total German gas imports in 2023.

Belgium, Spain, and France receive Russian LNG shipments and then re-export them, making it challenging to trace the gas’s origin and enabling Germany to import Russian LNG, despite banning Russian LNG shipments to its ports.

Gas from Belgian ports often gets labeled as Belgian gas in official German databases, even though Belgium itself lacks gas production facilities.

Belgium, France, and Spain clarified that most of the gas received in their countries is not used domestically but is instead piped to other EU nations.

The report called out German state-owned energy company SEFE, pointing out that it imported 58 shipments amounting to 4.1 million tons of Russian LNG through Dunkirk, France, in the past year.

Comparatively, in 2023, there were 12 shipments totaling 880,000 tons, reflecting a significant increase in just one year.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, Brussels set a goal of eliminating all Russian fuel from the EU by 2027, a target the study suggests the bloc is currently far from achieving.

“Russia is the second-largest LNG supplier to the EU after the United States, representing approximately 6.6% of the EU’s total gas consumption in 2024,” the study reported.

Angelos Koutsis, an energy expert at Bond Beter Leefmilieu, mentioned in a statement on Jan. 28 that imports from France and Belgium often include Russian LNG.

“This setup enables all countries to deny responsibility for the increasing imports of Russian LNG,” Koutsis stated. “To prevent this, we advocate for tracking LNG from its origin country to the EU nation where it is used.”

SEFE, previously owned by Russian state gas company Gazprom until nationalized by Berlin in 2022, neither confirmed nor refuted the report’s findings due to undisclosed sales data.

The company has a long-term contract with Russia’s Yamal LNG, operated by Russian private energy group Novatek, which the German government believes must be honored, as per the study.

Moreover, Berlin warns that failing to honor the contract might allow Novatek to find other markets for the gas, potentially doubling its profits.

DUH Federal Managing Director Sascha Müller-Kraenner emphasized the need for the German government to act swiftly.

“The German government must urgently change its political and economic path by pushing for a European embargo on Russian LNG,” Müller-Kraenner remarked. “This is essential for both security and environmental purposes. A shift to renewable energy is crucial for achieving stable and cost-effective energy independence in Germany and Europe.”

Recently, Polish President Andrzej Duda voiced that Russian gas supplies to Western Europe should never resume and advocated for the dismantling of the Nord Stream pipelines, even if a peace deal is reached between Moscow and Kyiv.

The Epoch Times contacted SEFE for comment but received no response at the time of publication.

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