EU Imports Record 12.18 Million Tonnes of Russian Arctic LNG Worth €7.88 Billion

European Union ports imported a record 12.18 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas from Russia’s Yamal Arctic project in the first nine months of 2026, according to an analysis by the German group Urgewald based on Kpler tracking data. The volume was 9.5 percent higher than in the same period of 2025. The estimated cost to European buyers was €7.88 billion.

Europe received 167 cargoes, accounting for 85 percent of Yamal’s recorded deliveries by volume. France took nearly three-quarters of September’s EU deliveries through the Dunkirk and Montoir terminals. The Netherlands and Portugal also recorded significant volumes. No cargoes were noted in Spain or at Belgium’s Zeebrugge terminal in the latest monthly figures.

The EU’s ban on Russian LNG under eligible short-term contracts has been in force since 25 April 2026. The broader ban on existing long-term contracts is scheduled for 1 January 2027. Urgewald noted that the short-term restrictions have done little to disrupt the trade. Quarterly spending was estimated at €2.88 billion in the first quarter, €3.08 billion in the second and €1.92 billion in the third.

Yamal’s overall worldwide deliveries fell 1.3 percent, but the European share remained dominant. The figures come as the United States approaches an 18 October deadline under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act to review sanctions on vessels supporting Russian gas trade. The continued flow provides revenue to Russia while the war in Ukraine continues.

The data illustrate the gap between the EU’s political commitment to phase out Russian energy and the commercial reality of long-term contracts and existing infrastructure. Whether the 2027 ban produces a sharper drop will depend on the availability of alternative supplies and the enforcement of remaining exemptions.