Increased by 40%: EU imports record volumes of liquefied natural gas from Russia

European Union countries are planning to import a record amount of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia this year.

The information reported according to Financial Times citing data from Global Witness.

The import of Russian LNG to the EU in the first half of the year has already increased by 40% compared to the same period in 2021. The largest importers of LNG are Belgium and Spain.

During the first half of 2023, Belgium and Spain became the second and third-largest buyers of Russian LNG after China, according to the organization’s data. From January to July, LNG deliveries from Russia to China increased by 62.7%, reaching 4.46 million tons. According to China’s General Administration of Customs, the import value of energy resources from Russia during this period increased by 21.9%, surpassing $2.98 billion.

The overall import volume of LNG into the European Union increased by 40% in the period from January to July 2023 compared to the same period in 2021, prior to the full-scale conflict in Ukraine.

A representative from Global Witness, Jonathan Noronha-Hunt, expressed surprise that EU countries, which had decided to move away from Russian pipeline gas, eventually turned to imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

EU representatives warned against a complete ban on the import of Russian LNG, as it could lead to an energy crisis similar to what happened last year.