The British newspaper cites data from the non-governmental organization Global Witness. It found that compared to the same period in 2021, in the first seven months of this year, EU countries imported up to 40 percent. More LNG from Russia. The total cost of these transactions is more than 5 billion euros.
Spain and Belgium are the leaders in imports, ranking second and third in the world – after China – when it comes to Russian LNG imports. As the Financial Times notes, before the war, the European Union countries did not import much LNG from Russia, because they relied primarily on imports of gas sent through pipelines.
Apart from Spain and Belgium, the importers of Russian LNG also include France and the Netherlands. Last July, the German daily Die Welt reported that “despite the war in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on Russia by a number of countries, the export of Russian LNG to Europe does not stop.”
Europe will not ban imports of liquefied natural gas?
Unlike coal, oil and other petroleum products, the EU does not currently plan to impose any sanctions on LNG flowing from Russia. In March, EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson called on EU companies to stop signing new contracts for LNG supplies from Russian suppliers. Spanish Energy Minister Teresa Ribera called on Spanish companies to follow suit. However, these declarations were not binding.
EU officials say efforts are underway to wean Europe off Russian fossil fuels by 2027, but warn that “a complete ban on LNG imports could lead to an energy crisis”.
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