EU Mentions Member Nations Still Importing Russian Gas

(MENAFN) Eight member states of the European Union remain purchasers of Russian natural gas, according to European Commission energy representative Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, cited by the media.

This statement followed Brussels’ unveiling on Friday of a strategy to prohibit Russian energy inflows to the bloc.

The countries — Belgium, France, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, and Spain — continue to obtain Russian fuel, either via pipelines or as liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Itkonen further explained that the European Commission lacks details regarding the final recipients of these shipments.

Although EU leaders have repeatedly promised to lessen reliance, approximately 19% of the Union’s gas imports still originate from Russia, a decline from nearly 45% before 2022.

A news outlet highlighted that Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France bring in LNG, while pipeline transfers through TurkStream deliver to Slovakia, Hungary, and Bulgaria.

Since the Nord Stream pipelines were disabled by sabotage in 2022 and Ukrainian transit was stopped this year, TurkStream stands as the sole direct route for Russian pipeline gas into the Union.

On Friday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared that the bloc plans to terminate Russian LNG imports starting January 1, 2027, as part of fresh sanction initiatives.

Currently, there is no comprehensive prohibition, with restrictions confined to certain terminals and re-export practices.

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