EU increases gas imports from Russia: How long despite the war?

EU increases gas imports from Russia: How long despite the war?

Despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the associated sanctions, the European Union (EU) increased its gas imports from Russia by 18% in 2024 compared to the previous year. This comes from a report by vienna.at out. The increase in imports includes both gas delivered via pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Despite political tensions and the EU's focus on independence from fossil fuels, demand in the bloc has failed to grow, leading to a nearly 60% increase in gas prices in 2024.

In contrast to the EU's goals of eliminating gas imports from Russia by 2027, the reality has so far developed differently. Italy, the Czech Republic and France in particular have increased their purchases of Russian gas. A new roadmap to underpin these ambitions will be presented in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, the critical situation is exacerbated by Ukraine's decision not to allow Russian natural gas through its territory since the beginning of 2025.

Record imports of liquefied natural gas

In 2024, the import of Russian LNG to the EU reached a record level, with an increase of 19.3% compared to 2023, as fr.de reported. The German state-owned company SEFE (Securing Energy for Europe GmbH) was one of the largest buyers of Russian LNG, which was purchased extensively this year. SEFE acquired a total of 58 shipments with a volume of 4.1 million tons, an increase of six and a half times compared to the previous year.

German Environmental Aid and numerous environmental organizations are calling for an EU-wide embargo against Russian LNG. Critics argue that LNG imports are not subject to EU sanctions, leading countries to deny responsibility for the increased imports. Even though some EU states have banned the direct import of Russian gas via their own ports, rerouting it via other countries is proving problematic.

Challenges and geopolitical risks

Geopolitical tensions with the US represent an additional risk for European energy supplies, particularly given its dependence on LNG supplies from overseas. The EU has set itself the goal of intensifying energy relations with the USA and diversifying alternative energy sources. A recent report from tagesschau.de shows that Russia is currently the second largest LNG supplier to the EU with a share of 16%, followed by the USA.

The EU Commission plans to completely stop using Russian gas, whether via pipelines or as LNG, by 2027. However, this is made more difficult by Member States' insufficient willingness to switch to alternative energy suppliers. The ongoing investments in LNG projects and the fact that almost half of imports into the EU come from Russia represent a major challenge.

To ensure future security of supply, the EU must urgently rethink its dependence on Russian gas and develop alternative strategies.