Key facts
- The European Commission disputed Russia's claim of $320.7 billion in EU energy spending from Moscow since 2022.
- The Commission stated the EU paid $209 billion for Russian energy between March 2022 and July 2026.
- Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak claimed the EU spent $320.7 billion on Russian energy since 2022.
- US President Donald Trump claimed the EU paid Russia $250 billion for energy.
- The EU's fossil fuel expenditure to Russia was 6% by 2023, down from 42%-45% in 2022.
The European Commission has pushed back against claims by Russia and the United States regarding the European Union's spending on Russian energy since 2022, citing significantly lower figures than those presented by Moscow and Washington.
According to a European Commission spokesperson, Russia supplied the EU with €197 billion ($209 billion) worth of energy between March 2022 and July 2026, based on COMEXT data. This figure contrasts sharply with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak's assertion that the EU had purchased €302 billion ($320.7 billion) of Russian energy resources since 2022. Novak's statement highlighted the EU's continued reliance on Moscow despite efforts to sever energy ties.
Brussels, however, rejects these claims, emphasizing the effectiveness of the bloc's REPowerEU plan, which aims to reduce dependence on Russian energy through diversification, lower consumption, and a faster transition to alternative sources. The Commission spokesperson stated that without REPowerEU, the EU would have spent an additional €278 billion on Russian fossil fuels. By 2023, only 6% of the EU’s total fossil fuel expenditure went to Russia, down from 42%-45% in 2022.
US President Donald Trump also weighed in on October 12, claiming the EU paid Russia $250 billion (€223 billion) for energy. This figure is approximately $41 billion higher than the Commission's data and $70.7 billion lower than Russia's claim. The discrepancies underscore the differing accounts of EU-Russia energy trade amid EU sanctions and strategies to reduce reliance on Moscow.
Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen confirmed a "clear declining trend" in the EU's dependency on Russia, stating it has fallen from 42%-45% in 2022 to 12% currently. The Commission's data covers payments through July 2026, while Novak's figures are less specific regarding the period and commodities included. Despite sanctions, Russia continues to supply energy, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) via the Arctic route, and diesel exports, which Novak argued could help ease market pressures.