MOSCOW, RUSSIA / Eurasian Newswire / – Russia’s natural gas exports to the European Union rose about 18% in the first half of 2026, the Energy Ministry said. The ministry placed six-month imports above 9.89 million metric tons. The increase mainly reflected liquefied natural gas shipments from the Yamal project in the Russian Arctic. Separate cargo data showed EU ports received a record 9.97 million tonnes from Yamal, up 16% from a year earlier.
The difference between the two growth rates reflects separate data sets and reporting cutoffs. Both measures showed a sharp increase in Russian LNG deliveries to the bloc. More than 97% of Yamal LNG shipments reached European Union ports during the six-month period. France, Belgium and Spain ranked as the largest destinations, while the Netherlands and Portugal also received Russian LNG during early 2026.
Novatek operates the Yamal LNG project, which has an annual production capacity of 17.4 million tonnes. France’s TotalEnergies and China’s CNPC also hold stakes in the facility. Yamal uses specialized ice-class tankers to move cargoes from northern Russia throughout the year. The project relies on European terminals for unloading and transshipment, including facilities in France and Belgium that handle cargoes under existing commercial agreements.
Russian pipeline deliveries also increase
Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe rose 5% during the first half, reaching about 8.74 billion cubic metres. The supplies moved through TurkStream, which crosses the Black Sea to Turkey before serving European markets. TurkStream became Russia’s only pipeline route to Europe after Ukraine ended its transit agreement on January 1, 2025. Gazprom operates the Russian section of the system and supplies customers across southeastern and central Europe.
The increase occurred as the European Union began enforcing its phased restrictions on Russian gas. The EU Council approved rules in January 2026 covering both LNG and pipeline supplies. Restrictions on new Russian gas contracts started on March 18, followed by a ban on LNG imports under short-term contracts on April 25. Existing long-term LNG contracts can continue until January 1, 2027, while pipeline contracts receive longer transition periods.
EU phaseout timetable remains in force
The European Union has reduced Russia’s position in its gas market since 2021. Russian pipeline gas accounted for about 40% of EU imports that year, compared with roughly 6% in 2025. Russian LNG and pipeline supplies together represented about 12% of total EU gas imports in 2025. The European Commission has expanded access to LNG from other producers, while Norway and the United States remain major gas suppliers.
EU energy regulators also recorded higher Russian imports before the first half ended. The Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators said Russian LNG imports rose 11% from January through May. Pipeline imports increased 7% over the same period. From March 18 through May 31, LNG deliveries climbed 17% from a year earlier, while pipeline supplies rose 5%, confirming continued growth as the bloc’s phased import restrictions took effect.