Russian Gas Imports Surge as EU Phase-Out Begins

Gas imports from Russia into the European Union increased during the first months of 2026, even as the bloc begins a historic withdrawal from Russian natural gas.

A new report from the EU's agency of energy regulators (ACER) revealed pipeline imports rose 7 percent year-on-year, while liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports grew by 11 percent. LNG imports accelerated further after a March ban took effect, rising 17 percent against the same period in 2025.

ACER attributed the rise to companies accelerating deliveries under existing contracts before stricter prohibitions take effect, rather than a failure of sanctions. Authorised contracts still represent between 45 and 55 billion cubic meters (bcm) of annual supply capacity, down from over 150 bcm prior to the war in Ukraine.

Ronald Pinto, an LNG analyst at Kpler, said Russian LNG imports hit record highs in April and May due to disruptions in global LNG supply from the Middle East conflict. However, he noted a slight decline in pipeline imports following a June deadline banning short-term contracts.

The remaining dependence is concentrated in Hungary, Slovakia, and Greece, which rely heavily on the TurkStream corridor. The principal challenge is ensuring infrastructure to deliver alternative supplies to landlocked Central European markets.

While Europe is better prepared than during the 2022 crisis, ACER warns the real economic test will arrive with the complete ban on LNG imports from January 2027 and the end of pipeline imports in September 2027. New dependencies on the US, Algeria, and Qatar also present challenges, as suppliers pressure the EU to scrap methane regulations.