Bilbao port chief urges EU to delay Russian LNG ban

Ivan Jiménez, director of the Port of Bilbao, told the Financial Times that the European Union should postpone its planned 2027 ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG). He warned that an abrupt cut could increase Europe’s reliance on United States LNG, which is generally more expensive.

Jiménez noted that Russian LNG accounted for 59% of the cargoes handled at Bilbao between January and May, while U.S. LNG fell to 40% of imports. He stressed that the quality of Russian gas is good and its price typically lower than U.S. supplies, and that the transition cannot be made “overnight.” He also suggested that U.S. President Donald Trump may pressure the EU to keep the ban to protect American export interests.

The EU’s sanctions regime aims to impose a total prohibition on Russian LNG from 1 January 2027, a measure stemming from years of negotiations to cut Russian fossil‑fuel supplies.