EU Accused of Funding Putin’s War Through Russian LNG

08^th Jan. 2026

European governments are facing renewed criticism over their energy ties with Russia after the release of fresh data. The new data suggested that the Kremlin earned an estimated $8.42bn (€7.2bn) last year from exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the European Union, despite the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The image shows a snow-covered liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility with large red and blue industrial pipelines, metal platforms, and safety railings, symbolizing Europe’s continued imports of Russian LNG amid accusations that EU energy purchases are indirectly funding Russia’s war under President Vladimir Putin.

Although Brussels has pledged to ban Russian LNG imports by 2027. According to the new analysis, there has been no significant reduction in shipments that arrive at European ports. Instead, the EU remains the primary destination for gas produced at Russia’s Yamal LNG complex in Siberia, a flagship energy project that is crucial for the Russian economy.

Import of LNG in the EU continues despite the Phase-Out Pledge

According to the research by the human rights group Urgewald, more than 15 million tonnes of LNG from Yamal were transported to EU terminals in 2025. In result, it generated billions in revenue for the Kremlin. While Europe has sharply reduced pipeline gas imports since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, LNG deliveries have continued largely uninterrupted.

Moreover, the EU’s share of global Yamal LNG shipments rose to 76.1% in 2025, up slightly from 75.4% the previous year. This makes the Europe, a dominant customer in the fourth year of the war. The imports remain legal, and EU officials have been cautious about imposing a full ban, particularly because several central and eastern European states remain heavily dependent on LNG for energy security.

Shipping Firms and Ports are under scrutiny over Russian LNG

The analysis also highlights the role of European-linked shipping companies in sustaining Yamal operations. UK-based Seapeak and Greece’s Dynagas are said to handle more than 70% of LNG transported from the Arctic facility. Notably, 11 of the 14-specialist ice-breaking Arc7 tankers are used for Yamal, which is owned by these firms or their partners.

Seapeak is owned by the US investment group Stonepeak, while Dynagas is a long-standing player in LNG shipping. Meanwhile, the UK government has said that it will move this year towards banning maritime services for vessels that carry Russian LNG.

European ports remain central to the trade. In 2025, Belgium’s Zeebrugge terminal received 58 LNG cargoes, compared with 51 that reached Chinese ports. France emerged as the largest importer, with 87 shipments unloading 6.3m tonnes at Dunkirk and Montoir. On the other hand, France’s energy giant TotalEnergies continues to hold a stake in the Yamal project.

Sebastian Rötters, an energy and sanctions campaigner at Urgewald, said: “While Brussels celebrates the latest agreement to phase out Russian gas, our ports continue serving as the logistics lung for Russia’s largest LNG terminal, Yamal”. Analysts said that access to EU ports allows ice-class tankers to return quickly to the Arctic, rather than undertaking weeks-long voyages to Asia. As a result, critics argue that Europe remains not just a buyer, but a critical enabler of Russia’s wartime energy revenues.

Web Resources on Accusations Over EU Russian LNG Imports

1. BBC.com: EU plans to end Russian gas imports by end of 2027
2. TheGuardian.com: EU accused of fuelling Putin’s war
3. Independent.co.uk: Trump approves major Russia sanctions bill
4. Forbes.com: Europe Moves To Phase Out Russian LNG By The End Of 2026