EU Buys Billions Worth of Russian Goods

(MENAFN) EU nations purchased €8.7 billion ($10.2 billion) worth of Russian commodities during the first quarter of 2025, a news agency reported, referencing figures from the German Economic Institute.

During the opening three months of this year, trade flows between the EU and Russia leaned slightly in Moscow’s favor, indicating that the bloc imported more from its eastern partner than it exported.

The German outlet underscored natural gas acquisitions, valued at €4.4 billion, and crude oil at €1.4 billion, as the leading goods brought into the EU from Russia.

Following the escalation of the Ukraine war in February 2022, the bloc announced its resolve to sever economic relations with Moscow. Even though Russian gas and oil inflows have decreased substantially since then, several EU countries still depend heavily on Russian energy resources.

A number of member states have also witnessed their industries lose competitiveness worldwide after turning to more expensive alternatives.

Among the major imports in early 2025 were Russian fertilizers, iron and steel, as well as nickel, according to the news agency.

Earlier in the year, the European Commission introduced its RePowerEU Roadmap, which foresees a full elimination of Russian energy imports by late 2027.

Hungary and Slovakia, both highly reliant on Russian energy, have firmly resisted the initiative, contending that it would jeopardize their national energy security.

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