The European Union's spending on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Arctic surged to €8.7 billion in the first ten months of 2026, surpassing its 2025 bill by 21%, according to environmental group Urgewald. Despite political pledges to end reliance on Russian energy after the Ukraine invasion, EU buyers continue to support Moscow's lucrative LNG market ahead of a ban set to take effect on January 1, 2027.
Data from energy intelligence firm Kpler reveals that EU ports received 12.89 million tonnes of LNG from Russia's Yamal project, up 6.3% year-on-year. This accounted for 81% of the project's global deliveries, with Europe remaining the primary customer. The EU imported a Yamal cargo roughly every 1.7 days during this period.
France was the top destination for October shipments, receiving 70% of EU deliveries, followed by Spain, the Netherlands, and Portugal. Belgium remained the largest individual destination over the first ten months, with 3.1 million tonnes unloaded at Zeebrugge. However, no Yamal cargoes were recorded at the Belgian terminal in August, September, or October.
Urgewald's Alexander Kirk emphasized the need to transition to clean energy to reduce gas demand and cut emissions. He noted that while ending Russian LNG imports is crucial, switching suppliers still leaves Europe vulnerable to gas price spikes and political pressure. The impending ban could significantly impact Russia's Arctic LNG exports, as the project relies on specialised ice-class tankers and European ports for efficient operations.