Sanctions | FT: EU countries paid billions for Russian gas just months before import ban took effect

European Union countries imported a record volume of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia's Yamal LNG production facility during the first half of the year, according to the Financial Times (FT). EU nations purchased a total of 9.9 million tons of LNG from the facility, an 18% increase compared to the same period last year. German environmental group Urgewald estimated that Europe paid up to six billion euros for these deliveries. France, Belgium, and Spain were identified as the largest buyers. This surge in imports occurred despite an impending EU ban on Russian gas. The EU's rules already prohibit the purchase of Russian LNG through short-term contracts. Long-term contracts for Russian LNG will be banned starting January 1, 2027, with a complete ban on pipeline gas imports to follow later next year. The EU adopted this ban in October 2025 as part of its 19th sanctions package related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The record import volumes from the Yamal plant in the first half of the year were facilitated by existing long-term contracts. Yamal LNG is Russia's largest LNG production facility and export terminal, opened in 2017. While the facility produces over 20 million tons of LNG annually, it reportedly reached record production levels only after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The facility's reliance on a specialized fleet of Arctic vessels and European ports for maintenance and operations remains crucial. Urgewald noted that Yamal LNG depends on its specialized fleet, European ports, and European services to maintain exports, all of which Europe continues to provide. Notably, Yamal LNG itself is not on any sanctions lists, although its main shareholder, Novatek, is subject to U.S. sanctions, and some vessels involved in its LNG transport have been added to EU sanctions lists.