EU Pays €7.88 Billion for Record Russian Arctic LNG Imports

The European Union paid an estimated €7.88 billion for liquefied natural gas from Russia's Yamal Arctic project between January and September 2026, even as Brussels prepares to end Russian LNG imports in 2027. An analysis by German environmental organization Urgewald, using shipping data from market intelligence firm Kpler, found that deliveries to European ports reached a record 12.18 million tonnes during the nine-month period.

European imports from Yamal increased 9.5% year over year, while the project's worldwide deliveries declined 1.3%, according to Urgewald's analysis. Europe received 167 cargoes, representing 85% of the project's recorded deliveries by volume, reinforcing the EU's importance as a market for Russian Arctic gas despite efforts to reduce its reliance on Moscow.

The estimated expenditure included €2.88 billion in the first quarter, €3.08 billion in the second quarter and €1.92 billion in the third quarter. Third-quarter deliveries fell 13.6% year over year to 2.21 million tonnes, but September shipments reached 792,440 tonnes, slightly exceeding the level recorded in the same month of 2025. Those September deliveries were valued at approximately €818 million, according to the shipping data cited by gCaptain.

The EU began restricting imports under eligible existing short-term Russian LNG contracts on April 25, 2026. A broader prohibition covering eligible existing long-term contracts is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027, leaving several months in which Russian shipments can continue under contracts not yet covered by the restrictions.

Sebastian Rötters, an energy campaigner at Urgewald, said the initial restrictions were not expected to significantly reduce shipments because most export capacity was already committed through long-term agreements. Seasonal maintenance and lower summer shipping volumes through the Northern Sea Route also affect deliveries, he told Euronews.

Rötters said the full phaseout scheduled for 2027 would provide a more meaningful test of the EU's efforts to curb the trade. The short-term contract restrictions have not produced a noticeable reduction in September deliveries, according to Urgewald's assessment.

Urgewald is urging the EU to strengthen its forthcoming 22nd sanctions package by addressing services that support the specialized Arc7 ice-class tanker fleet used to transport LNG from the Arctic. The organization argues that restricting access to these vessels and associated maritime services could disrupt Yamal's export logistics before the European import ban takes effect.

Yamal relies on specialized carriers capable of operating in Arctic waters. European terminals offer a relatively convenient destination, allowing vessels to unload, undergo maintenance and return to the project more quickly than on longer routes to Asia, where winter conditions can complicate eastbound voyages through the Northern Sea Route.

Urgewald said the EU should address remaining weaknesses in its sanctions framework rather than wait for the 2027 prohibition. The organization also pointed to new US powers that could affect Russian LNG shipments before the European restrictions begin.

The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, signed into law on September 18, 2026, authorizes sanctions against certain foreign vessels involved in transporting Russian energy to evade restrictions, as well as people connected to Russian energy projects and foreign port operators serving US-sanctioned vessels. The Trump administration faces an October 18 deadline for its first review under the law, but the deadline does not automatically prohibit Yamal deliveries.

Rötters told Euronews that the US president must compile a list of ships transporting Russian LNG by October 18, after which those vessels could face sanctions unless waivers are issued. He said the administration's decisions could influence European access to Yamal supplies between the deadline and the EU's planned 2027 import ban.

US restrictions have already severely constrained Russia's Arctic LNG 2 project and the Northern Sea Route, while Yamal continues supplying European customers. Kpler data also recorded 706.473 million tonnes of LNG destined for China, South Korea and Taiwan in September, highlighting the project's trade with Asian markets alongside its substantial European business.