Key facts
- Russian gas imports into the EU increased in early 2026, with pipeline gas up 7% and LNG up 11% year-on-year.
- The EU formally began a withdrawal from Russian natural gas, banning Russian LNG from entering the bloc by the beginning of 2027.
- ACER attributes the import rise to companies accelerating deliveries under existing contracts before stricter prohibitions take effect.
- Hungary and Slovakia continue to receive significant Russian pipeline gas, sourcing 70-80% of their gas from Russia in 2024.
- New dependencies have emerged with the US, Algeria, and Qatar, with the US warning that methane rules could reduce energy flows to Europe.
Russian natural gas imports into the European Union have increased in the initial months of 2026, despite the bloc's formal withdrawal process from Russian energy. According to a report by the EU's agency of energy regulators (ACER), pipeline imports rose by 7 percent and LNG imports by 11 percent year-on-year compared to 2025.
LNG imports saw a further acceleration of 17 percent after the EU's ban on Russian LNG took effect in March 2026. ACER attributes this trend to companies accelerating deliveries under existing contracts before stricter prohibitions are fully implemented, rather than a reversal of EU policy. The report notes that new Russian gas contracts have been prohibited since March 2026, while older long-term agreements are allowed to expire gradually through 2027 to prevent market disruption.
ACER argues that this trend does not signify a growing dependence on Russia or a failure of sanctions. Instead, importers are maximizing deliveries due to global supply uncertainty, exacerbated by disruptions in Middle Eastern LNG trade. The ban on transhipments of Russian LNG via the EU to other destinations may also have contributed, potentially keeping some previously transshipped LNG within the EU market. LNG analyst Ronald Pinto of Kpler supported this assessment, noting record-high Russian LNG imports into the EU in April and May, and suggesting that European market participants utilized existing contractual volumes amidst global supply disruptions.
Pinto also observed a slight year-on-year decline in Russian pipeline imports, potentially indicating a commercial reaction to the June 17 deadline banning imports under short-term contracts. While Russian gas now accounts for approximately 12 percent of EU gas demand, this dependence is unevenly distributed. Hungary, Slovakia, and Greece continue to receive significant Russian pipeline gas, with Hungary and Slovakia estimated to source 70-80 percent of their gas from Russia in 2024. The primary challenge for these landlocked Central European markets is ensuring sufficient infrastructure for alternative supplies.
ACER concludes that Europe is better prepared for energy diversification than during the 2022 crisis but has developed new dependencies, particularly with the US, Algeria, and Qatar. The US has warned that current EU methane rules could reduce energy flows from the United States to Europe. The EU is also anticipating increased gas supply from planned Romanian Black Sea production and Azerbaijan's Southern Gas Corridor. The report suggests that the true economic consequences of ditching Russian gas are yet to be felt, with the complete bans on LNG imports in January 2027 and pipeline imports in September 2027 representing the ultimate tests.