This year, Europe has started buying Russian gas on the highest ever scale, spending billions of dollars. This comes just weeks after Ukraine cut off Russian gas transit, Poitico writes.
Data compiled by Kpler, a trade intelligence company, shows that in the first 15 days of the year, the 27 EU countries imported 837,300 metric tonnes of liquefied natural gas from Russia. Last year, over the same period, the EU bought 760,100 tonnes from Russia.
After the end of Russian gas transit through Ukraine, EU countries began to buy more liquefied natural gas delivered by tankers from Russian ports.
According to Charles Costerousse, Senior LNG Analyst at Kpler, there are a number of factors that explain this and the volumes. In particular, insufficient domestic energy generation.
"Since the second half of December, there has been a cold snap, and wind power generation has not been at its highest level," he said.
According to Costerousse, 95-96% of the Russian liquefied natural gas bought by the EU comes from the Yamal plant. Most of these volumes are supplied under long-term contracts. So it's not that the EU has started buying additional sweat equity, but that previous contracts are being honoured.
European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said that attempts to get rid of its stake in gas, oil and coal have already "disrupted Russia's control over Europe's energy system".
"However, despite these significant results, Russian energy, especially gas, is still present in the EU, and in 2024 gas imports from Russia increased, including liquefied natural gas imports. This is a cause for serious concern," she said.
According to Itnkonen, at the end of February, the European Commission will present a plan to end energy imports from Russia.
Separately, 10 EU members are calling for sanctions against Russian liquefied natural gas.