Energy EU imports more gas from Russia despite war, according to report
Despite the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU imported more gas from Russia last year, according to a report. The increase was 18 percent compared to 2023, as calculated by the think tank Ember.
27.03.2025, 00:15
27.03.2025, 00:21
SDA
Both gas that reached the European Union (EU) through pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) were taken into account. According to Ember, Italy, the Czech Republic and France in particular have increasingly purchased gas from Russia.
Imports would also continue to increase in 2025, the think tank added. However, this is not necessary. This is because demand in the EU has not grown at all. In addition, gas prices rose by almost 60 percent in 2024, the document continued.
No gas from Russia until 2027
The EU had imposed numerous sanctions against Russian energy sources such as coal and oil following the Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2022, which violated international law. The international community wants to stop importing gas from Russia by 2027, but this plan is not legally binding. Since the turn of the year, Ukraine has no longer allowed any Russian natural gas to pass through and has blocked transit via pipelines across its territory.
"It is a scandal that the EU is still importing Russian gas," said Pawel Czyzak from Ember. "Instead of investing in real alternatives like renewables and efficiency to stop Russian imports, member states are burning money on expensive LNG capacity that isn't even being used." Ember predicted an oversupply for 2030.
Dependence remains a major issue
The EU wants to become independent of fossil fuels from Russia. This remains a priority, said EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen in a recent interview with the news agency network European Newsroom (enr), to which the German news agency DPA also belongs. The EU Commission is currently working on a roadmap for phasing out Russian fossil fuels. It is to be presented in the coming weeks.
In Handelsblatt, Jørgensen criticized the behaviour of the member states. "It is completely untenable to continue buying fossil fuels from Russia and thus indirectly filling Putin's war chest," said the Energy Commissioner. "Since the start of the war, we have spent as much money on fossil fuels from Russia as 2400 F-35 fighter jets would cost."
Liquefied natural gas from Russia will continue to be imported into the EU. Only investments in LNG projects under construction in Russia and exports for the benefit of these projects are prohibited. EU ports may also not be used to ship Russian LNG to third countries.
Risks for other gas suppliers too
According to Ember, however, security of supply would not be guaranteed if the EU did not purchase any Russian gas at all. The think tank warns that other foreign sources have also become increasingly volatile. Geopolitical tensions with the USA increased the risk of relying on LNG supplies from there, it said.
The EU's largest gas suppliers are currently Norway and the USA. As gas will continue to be needed in Europe in the coming years, the EU Commission wants to intensify energy relations with the USA. They are trying to diversify as much as possible, but there are not many alternatives for purchasing LNG, said EU Energy Commissioner Jørgensen. Despite strained diplomatic relations across the Atlantic, these issues could be discussed, he added.
