European countries have significantly increased their purchases of Russian liquefied natural gas amid the conflict in the Middle East, spending billions of euros in the process, the Financial Times reports.
In the first quarter of this year, the European Union received 69 of 71 cargoes (97%) from the major Yamal LNG project in Siberia. Of those, 25 cargoes arrived in March—more than in January or February taken separately. By comparison, a year earlier the share stood at 87% (68 cargoes), while the remaining shipments were then directed to Asia.
According to the analytics group Kpler, imports from Yamal LNG rose by 17% in January-March to 5 million tonnes compared with the same period in 2025.
EU countries are estimated to have spent about €2.88 billion on gas purchases from the project.
Against that backdrop, Europe has shown no sign of revisiting its previously announced ban on Russian LNG imports, which is due to take effect in January 2027. Restrictions on short-term contracts are already in force.