EU imports record 12.18 million tonnes of Russian Arctic LNG in first nine months of 2026 - FINCHANNEL
Urgewald said Europe bought 167 cargoes worth an estimated €7.88 billion as Washington nears a sanctions review on Russian LNG trade.
- The US administration faces an October 18 deadline to review sanctions on vessels transporting Russian Yamal LNG under the Lindsey Graham Act, determining potential penalties for carriers and creating significant uncertainty for European energy markets.
- Despite European efforts to phase out Russian energy, the EU has imported more than 12 million tonnes of Yamal LNG this year, costing an estimated €7.88 billion as the bloc prepares for a 2027 embargo.
- Data from Kpler, analyzed by The German-based NGO Urgewald, reveals that EU-bound volumes rose 9.5 per cent between January and September compared to 2025, with Europe absorbing 85 per cent of recorded Yamal deliveries.
- Energy campaigner Sebastian Rütters noted that from October 18, the bloc's energy security effectively depends on whether the US President issues waivers for transport vessels under the new US law.
- Urgewald urges the upcoming 22nd EU sanctions package to close loopholes targeting the indispensable Arc7 ice-class tanker fleet, which could increase pressure on Russia's ability to sustain Arctic LNG exports before the 2027 embargo takes effect.
28 Articles
28 Articles
In fact, the EU wants to stop all imports of Russian gas, but it takes even longer for LNG, which the EU uses for billions of purchases.
In January-September 2026, EU ports received 12.18 million tons of liquefied natural gas from the Russian Yamal LNG project. The German environmental organization Urgewald, in an analysis of Kpler data published on October 9, called this volume a record: it is 9.5% more than in the same period in 2025
From January to September, the EU received 167 gas shipments from Yamal, accounting for 85 percent of the project's deliveries. In the third quarter alone, imports amounted to 2.21 million tons, a 13.6 percent decrease compared to a year earlier. In September, 792,440 tons of LNG, worth an estimated €818 million, were delivered to EU ports. France received nearly three-quarters of September's deliveries. The EU imported record volumes of Russian…
Europe buys record amounts of Russian LNG despite its own restrictions
The EU received around 12.18 million tonnes of gas in the first nine months of 2026, according to experts. This means a 9.5% increase compared to the previous year. The estimated bill for LNG shipments came to $8.33 billion.Despite plans...
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