A worker at a construction site for the extension of the TurkStream pipeline (pictured in 2020). Photo: Stoyan Nenov / Reuters
European Union member states imported 18% more Russian gas last year than they did in 2023, according to estimates from an Ember think tank report that were cited in an article by the German news program Tagesschau. The figure covers all forms of Russian gas imports — including liquefied natural gas (LNG) and gas delivered via pipeline.
According to the analysts, countries like Italy, France, and the Czech Republic increased their purchases. “It’s a scandal that the EU is still importing Russian gas. Instead of investing in real alternatives like renewable energy and efficiency to prevent Russian imports, member states are burning money on expensive LNG capacities that aren’t even being used,” commented Pawel Czyzak, an expert at Ember.
In a recent interview with Handelsblatt, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said he wants to reduce the bloc’s energy dependence on Russia:
“It is completely unsustainable to continue buying fossil fuels from Russia and thereby indirectly filling Putin’s war chest. Since the beginning of the war, we have spent as much money on fossil fuels from Russia as it would cost to build 2,400 F-35 fighter jets.”
The European Commission is expected to present a roadmap for the gradual phaseout of fossil fuel imports from Russia soon. Norway and the United States currently remain the EU’s top natural gas suppliers.
According to a report published by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) in February, EU member states paid Russia a total of €21.9 billion for oil and gas in 2023. In comparison, EU financial aid to Ukraine during the same period amounted to €18.7 billion, according to estimates from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW).