European capitals are speaking with increasing urgency about the need to cut off Moscow’s sources of revenue for the war in Ukraine. But the sharper the rhetoric, the more glaring the gap with practice. London condemns Russian aggression yet continues to buy gas through France’s TotalEnergies. Austrian machinery still finds its way into Russia despite sanctions. And in The Hague, a court recently lifted a freeze on Gazprom’s assets, allowing the company to regain control over parts of its overseas holdings.
This dissonance between rhetoric and reality is particularly stark in France. President Emmanuel Macron delivers some of the harshest statements against the Kremlin, vowing that “everything will be done to ensure Russia does not prevail in Ukraine.” Yet at the same time, Paris in recent months has become the largest importer of Russian liquefied natural gas in the European Union.
From the start of Russia’s invasion, President Emmanuel Macron aligned himself with Ukraine. But while Paris loudly condemns Moscow’s war, French purchases of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) have been rising.
That is borne out by the latest data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). In the first three months of this year, France imported more Russian LNG than any other EU member state, compared with previous levels. Since January the country has transferred roughly €600 million to Russia.
“It is unacceptable for France to take a hard line on Russia while at the same time paying it vast sums for gas,” an EU diplomat told Politico on condition of anonymity. The surge in gas trade with Russia comes just as Macron has sharpened his rhetoric in support of Ukraine.
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At the end of February, Macron declared that everything would be done to prevent Russia from winning in Ukraine. He did not rule out sending NATO troops to the country, a remark that caused a major stir across Europe. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz publicly pushed back against the French president at the time.
France Cites Long-Term Contracts, but Experts Call for Cuts and Blame TotalEnergies
Paris argues that gas imports are necessary to maintain household supply and points to long-term contracts with Russia that are legally difficult to terminate. Critics, however, insist that France could do more to reduce purchases across the bloc and place responsibility for inaction on TotalEnergies.
"This is not an easy issue," admitted a French energy ministry official in a conversation with Politico. "If we keep paying for gas we don’t import, it makes no sense," he added, referring to the long-term agreements signed by TotalEnergies that obligate the purchase of LNG from Russia.
France is not the only country still importing Russian LNG: shipping data show that at least nine EU member states continue to trade with Moscow. While Russian LNG accounted for only 5% of EU gas consumption in 2024, member states paid Russia more than €8 billion for its exports, according to a new CREA report.
This year France leads both in absolute import volumes—1.5 million tonnes in total—and in year-on-year growth. It is followed by Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands. All have declared intentions to cut purchases, but only in close coordination.
EU States Demand Immediate Ban on Russian LNG, France Insists on Gradual Phase-Out to Protect Price Stability
At last month’s EU energy ministers’ meeting, Spanish minister Teresa Ribera declared: "The only way forward is a collective approach to reducing or banning imports. This must happen as soon as possible." Lithuania went further at the same summit, calling for a complete ban on Russian LNG.
France has taken a cautious stance, continuing to defend its ongoing purchases from Russia. Former economy minister Bruno Le Maire told lawmakers this month that the country’s final withdrawal from dependence on Russian gas should proceed gradually, so as to avoid sharp market disruptions and sudden price spikes.