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The WAM report detailed the 14 percent increase in Russian gas imports during June compared with the previous month. This short-term rise occurred even as European nations have actively sought alternative suppliers since 2022. Figures from the European Council place Russia’s share of EU pipeline gas imports at around 6 percent in 2025, down sharply from 40 percent in 2021. The Council also noted that combined pipeline and LNG imports from Russia accounted for 12 percent of the EU total last year.
Data compiled by the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators showed Russian pipeline gas imports rose 7 percent year-on-year from January to May 2026. Russian LNG imports increased 11 percent over the same period according to the same agency. The agency assessment found that deliveries from Russia’s Yamal facility reached record volumes in the first half of 2026 with 9.97 million metric tons arriving in 136 cargoes.
An analysis published by energy think tank Ember placed the overall rise in Russian gas imports to the EU at 18 percent for 2024. That increase was driven primarily by higher volumes taken by Italy, Czechia and France the Ember report stated. Ember analysts warned that without new restrictive policies the EU could see further volatility in reliance on the supplier in subsequent years.
The European Council has documented a broader shift in supply sources with Norway emerging as the leading provider at 32 percent of EU gas imports in recent assessments. The United States has doubled its LNG share to 14 percent while Algeria supplies around 10 percent according to the Council infographic covering 2021 through 2025. These changes reflect deliberate policies aimed at enhancing energy security across the bloc.
A regulation adopted by the Council in January 2026 prohibits both LNG and pipeline gas imports from Russia beginning March 18 2026. The measure includes transition periods for certain existing contracts the Council announcement specified. Imports from Russia had already fallen to 36 billion cubic meters in 2025 from more than 150 billion cubic meters in 2021 per the Council data.
Industry tracking firm Kpler contributed statistics showing a 16 percent volume increase in Yamal LNG cargoes for the first six months of 2026 relative to the prior year. This growth aligns with the broader pattern of fluctuating Russian supplies despite the EU’s long-term phase-out goals. European officials continue to monitor import levels as the ban implementation date approaches.
