EU's Russian LNG imports may be funding Putin's war

An analysis by Urgewald estimates Russia earned about €7.2bn from Yamal LNG exported to the EU in 2025. The EU has pledged to ban Russian LNG by 2027, yet shipments to European ports rose and the bloc's share of Yamal exports increased to 76.1%.

European imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia's Yamal project have continued to rise even as Brussels has pledged a phase-out by 2027. A new analysis by the human rights NGO Urgewald reports that more than 15 million tonnes of Yamal LNG reached EU terminals in 2025, generating an estimated €7.2bn in revenue for Russia. The continuing flows reflect logistical links between Arctic LNG carriers and European ports, and the EU's cautious approach has been shaped in part by member states' energy dependencies. The UK has announced plans this year to transition toward banning maritime services for vessels carrying Russian LNG. Key facts: - Urgewald reports that over 15m tonnes of LNG from Russia's Yamal terminal reached EU ports in 2025, with estimated Russian earnings of about €7.2bn. - The EU has pledged to ban imports of Russian LNG by 2027, but the bloc's share of Yamal shipments rose to 76.1% in 2025 and overall deliveries to European ports increased. - The UK plans a transition this year toward a ban on providing maritime services for vessels carrying Russian LNG, as reported in the article. - The article mentions that Seapeak and Dynagas operate most of the specialised Arc7 ice-class tankers used by Yamal and that French terminals received substantial volumes, with TotalEnergies still listed as a key investor in the Yamal project. Summary: The Urgewald analysis highlights ongoing flows of Yamal LNG into the EU and estimates significant revenues reaching Russia in 2025. Policy responses noted in the article include the EU pledge to end Russian LNG imports by 2027 and the UK's planned move to restrict maritime services this year; how those measures will change current shipment patterns is undetermined at this time.