EU imports record volume of Russian Yamal LNG ahead of 2027 ban

In the first half of 2026 the European Union imported a record 9.89 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia’s Yamal project – 136 cargoes, an 18 % increase over the same period a year earlier. The shipments were valued at about €5.96 billion. The three biggest recipients were France (3.6 Mt), Belgium (2.9 Mt) and Spain (2.7 Mt).

The EU had banned short‑term Russian LNG contracts in April 2026, but long‑term contracts remain allowed until 1 January 2027 (pipeline imports until September 2027). Companies front‑loaded deliveries before the ban, and more than 97 % of Yamal cargoes reached EU ports. Urgewald noted that “the EU is absorbing almost the entire output of one of Russia’s most strategically important LNG projects.” The Yamal facility, operated by Novatek with stakes held by TotalEnergies and CNPC, relies on a small fleet of ice‑class Arc‑7 tankers and European ship‑yard services for logistics.