EU Buys 93 Percent of Yamal LNG As Imports Surge Ahead of 2027 Russian Ban

European buyers are aggressively importing liquefied natural gas from Russia’s Arctic Yamal LNG project as the continent prepares for a full EU ban on Russian LNG from January 2027, new figures compiled by advocacy group urgewald from Kpler data show.

According to the report, EU buyers purchased 92.6% of Yamal LNG production in January 2026, totaling 1.69 million tonnes, an 8% increase over January 2025. A total of 23 out of 25 shipments were delivered to European ports, underscoring the continent’s continued reliance on Russian Arctic gas despite sanctions and political pressure.

Belgium’s Zeebrugge terminal led imports with six cargoes, with France’s Montoir and Dunkerque terminals also receiving six and five shipments respectively. 

Additional cargoes went to the Gate terminal in Rotterdam and three Spanish ports. On average, a Russian LNG tanker called at an EU terminal every 32 hours, highlighting the relentless pace of deliveries.

The report highlights the critical role of European shipping providers in sustaining Yamal LNG exports. Seapeak and Dynagas accounted for 20 of the 25 January shipments, with their Arc7 ice-class LNG carriers enabling year-round operations in the harsh Arctic environment. Without these European-operated vessels, Russian LNG exports from Yamal LNG would effectively be shut down for six months of the year.

Despite this leverage, the EU has taken only limited action, with the full LNG import ban more than 11 months away. 

“Sanctioning and restricting these vessels would directly cut off Putin’s Arctic LNG revenues and close one of the most important remaining energy loopholes funding the Kremlin’s war,” said Sebastian Rötters, sanctions campaigner at urgewald.

The figures also illustrate the limits of the EU transshipment ban, which took effect in March 2025. Intended to hinder Russian LNG re-exports to Asia by stopping cargoes from being reloaded in EU ports, the policy has instead kept more shipments within the EU. Cargoes that might have previously been re-exported are now consumed domestically, effectively increasing Yamal LNG deliveries to the continent.

In 2025, the EU spent €7.2 billion ($7.7 billion) on Russian LNG, with €600–700 million flowing to Moscow every month. In total the continent received more than 200 LNG shipments from Russia in 2025.

By contrast, Arctic LNG 2, also in Russia’s Arctic but sanctioned, is operating far below capacity. With only two ice-class LNG carriers, LNG must be rerouted via floating storage or ship-to-ship operations to reach China, raising costs and slowing deliveries.

Yamal LNG, however, continues to operate largely unimpeded, with European policymakers failing to take advantage of the project’s unique dependence on European shipping infrastructure, services, and markets. 

“Europe has a clear opportunity to act together to cut these revenues,” Rötters said. “But until then, Yamal LNG remains a steady stream of cash for Russia, despite four years of sanctions.”

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