Europe Continues to Spend Billions on Russian LNG Despite Efforts to Cut Dependence

Brussels: Europe has significantly reduced its dependence on Russian energy, yet there’s still billions of Euros going to Russia every year. Amid diplomatic efforts last month to pressure Russia into peace negotiations, Eurostat data revealed that the European Union imported Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) worth around 4.48 billion Euro in the first half of 2025, up from 3.47 billion Euro over the same period last year.

According to Ansa News Agency, the bloc has been pushing to end its energy dependence on Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, aiming to reduce Russia’s ability to finance the war. With a stricter ban looming, many member states have diversified their sources while others still rely on Russian pipelines and LNG.

Unlike Russian oil and coal, the EU has not imposed an outright ban on gas, due to ongoing dependencies among some member states. This ongoing reliance highlights the complexities involved in completely severing energy ties with Russia, despite the geopolitical tensions and economic sanctions in place.