EU Pushes LNG Ban as Trump Demands Energy Break with Russia

• Russia exported 18.8 million metric tons of LNG in Jan–Aug 2025, split nearly evenly between Asia (9.5 Mt) and Europe (9.3 Mt)
• The EU remains the world’s biggest buyer of Russian gas despite sanctions

Russia’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports hit 18.8 million metric tons in the first eight months of 2025, with flows almost evenly divided between Asia and Europe, customs data show. France was the top European buyer, while China led in Asia, taking in over 4 million tons, including early volumes from the Arctic LNG 2 project.

Russia’s LNG accounted for 14% of EU imports in the second quarter of 2025, down from 22% in early 2021. France bought around 4m tons in January–August, making it Europe’s biggest buyer, followed by Belgium (2.3m), Spain (1.8m), the Netherlands (~1m), and Italy (725,000). The Yamal LNG project, led by Novatek, is the key supplier.

European companies have been importing gas from Russia for years, despite the war in Ukraine and the EU’s sanctions. France’s TotalEnergies, which owns a 20% stake in Yamal LNG, receives approximately 4 million tonnes of gas per year at Montoir-de-Bretagne. Germany’s SEFE imports 2.9 million tonnes of gas per year via Zeebrugge. Spain’s Gas Natural Fenosa company has a contract for 1 million tonnes.

Trump pressure on EU

At the UN General Assembly in New York, Donald Trump urged European nations to “immediately cease all energy purchases from Russia” and warned of tariffs on those that continue. “They have to immediately cease all energy purchases from Russia,” Trump told delegates.

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Von der Leyen and Trump met and Leyen describes the meeting as a fruitful. The emphasis was particularly on support for Ukraine and sanctions to hit Russia’s economy. “By 2027, Europe will have definitively turned the page on Russian fossil fuels,” von der Leyen promised. The two then addressed the Kremlin’s “provocations, including regular incursions into European airspace,” reads a note released by the European Commission. “These are clear attempts to test our response,” von der Leyen reiterated to Trump.

The EU unveiled last Friday its 19th package of sanctions against Russia, targeting energy revenues, financial loopholes, and military supply chains in response to Moscow’s war on Ukraine. “The Commission’s proposal for the 19th sanctions package will aim to weaken Russia’s already weakened war economy further,” Dombrovskis said during the Eurogroup press conference in Copenhagen.

Despite most of EU states and Leyen’s attitude, Hungary’s foreign minister Péter Szijjártó rejected Trump’s call, telling the Guardian that abandoning Russian oil and gas is “a nice dream” but impossible due to infrastructure dependence. Hungary’s MOL Group continues to import about 5 million tons of oil annually via the Druzhba pipeline. Slovakia also relies heavily on Russian flows. Slovakia also pushed back on pressure it is facing to cut back its purchases of Russian energy, saying it was ready to discuss the issue.