Fresh analysis has exposed the European Union's continued heavy financial support for Russia's war economy, with billions of euros still flowing from purchases of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2025. This comes despite a landmark commitment to end all Russian LNG imports by 2027.
The Yamal Lifeline: Europe's Dominant Role
Data from the trading intelligence platform Kpler, analysed by the environmental NGO Urgewald, shows a stark picture of dependency. The EU accounted for 76.1% of all LNG exports from Russia's flagship Yamal project in northwest Siberia last year. Of the 19.7 million tonnes shipped from Yamal, a staggering 15 million tonnes were delivered to EU ports.
This trade translated into a massive €7.2 billion (approximately $8.4 billion) in revenue for the Kremlin in 2025 alone, directly funding its protracted war of attrition in Ukraine. Sebastian Rötters, a sanctions campaigner at Urgewald, stated that European nations are "not just customers; we are the essential infrastructure keeping this flagship project alive."
Sanctions Pledge vs. On-the-Ground Reality
In a significant move just last month, the EU pledged a total ban on Russian LNG imports by 2027, aiming to cripple the oil and gas industry that forms the lifeblood of Russia's wartime economy. EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas declared, "Europe has already cut its dependence drastically. Now, we’re turning off the tap for good."
However, the latest data reveals a contradictory trend. The EU's share of shipments from the Yamal facility actually increased to 76.1% in 2025, up from 75.4% the previous year. France stood as the bloc's largest importer, receiving 87 ships carrying 6.3 million tonnes to Dunkirk and Montoir ports, accounting for 41.7% of all EU imports from Yamal.
Spain showed the most significant reduction, cutting its imports from 58 tankers in 2024 to 38 in 2025. Meanwhile, although the UK banned direct Russian LNG imports in January 2023, British company Seapeak was instrumental in the supply chain, transporting 37.3% of all Yamal LNG into Europe.
Calls for Immediate Action to 'Shut the Loophole'
Campaigners are urging far faster action, arguing that every shipment bolsters Moscow's military capacity. "Every cargo that offloads at an EU terminal is a direct deposit into a war chest that fuels the slaughter in Ukraine," warned Mr Rötters. He criticised EU ports for continuing to serve as "the logistics lung for Russia’s largest LNG terminal."
Rötters also highlighted a new concern: a fleet of next-generation Arc7 ice-class LNG tankers built by Russia's Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex. He called on the EU and UK to ensure these vessels do not "fall into the wrong hands" and subsequently help extend the operational life of the Yamal project.
This ongoing energy trade occurs against a backdrop of sustained US pressure on Europe, China, and India to reduce reliance on Russian oil and gas, with the ultimate goal of stifling the Kremlin's ability to wage war. The analysis underscores the challenging gap between diplomatic pledges and the complex realities of energy disentanglement.
