Europe’s imports of Russian LNG from Yamal hit record high ahead of scheduled EU ban

European Union countries imported a record 9.89 million tonnes from Russia’s Yamal LNG project in the first half of 2026, data shows.

• Combined purchases from the Yamal LNG project reached 9.89 million tonnes in H1 2026, an 18% increase over the same period in 2025, according to Kpler data.
• France, Belgium, and Spain led imports, taking 3.6 million, 2.9 million, and 2.7 million tonnes respectively.
• The European Union is scheduled to ban imports of Russian LNG under long-term contracts from January 1, 2027.
• TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné said in February the company may have to halt exports to the EU due to uncertainty over the ban’s implementation.