Belgium Turns to Russian Gas Amid Strait of Hormuz Disruptions

The ongoing war in the Middle East has disrupted Europe's energy market, causing Belgium to switch entirely to imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in July. According to Bloomberg, all of Belgium's imported LNG came from Russia last month, driven by a sharp decline in supplies due to shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

The shift in supply was further complicated by high gas prices, which discouraged most European buyers from purchasing LNG for winter stockpiles. As a result, Belgium's total LNG imports fell by more than 40% compared with the same period last year.

Despite the increase in Russian LNG imports to Europe, officials in Brussels insist that the plan to fully ban Russian LNG imports from next year remains on track. However, some experts are questioning whether the EU can realistically phase out Russian LNG within the planned timeframe due to low gas storage levels and uncertainty surrounding supplies from the Middle East.