European Union imports of liquefied natural gas from Russia’s Yamal LNG project reached an all-time high of 9.89 million tonnes in the first six months of 2026, an 18 percent increase on the same period last year, according to data from analytics firm Kpler. The surge, valued at approximately €6 billion by the non-governmental organisation Urgewald, comes just months before an EU-wide ban on long-term Russian LNG contracts enters into force on 1 January 2027.

The purchases are permitted under existing long-term agreements, as EU rules already prohibit short-term spot buying of Russian LNG. Each cargo bound for Europe must be certified by the importing country’s customs authority as linked to a long-term contract. Viewed from Brussels, the record volumes reflect a final stocking-up by member states before the legal framework shifts, while Moscow sees the flows as evidence that European demand remains structurally tied to Russian molecules despite the war in Ukraine now entering its fifth year.

France, Belgium and Spain were the largest buyers, importing 3.6 million, 2.9 million and 2.7 million tonnes respectively. The Yamal project, majority-owned by Russia’s Novatek with TotalEnergies and China National Petroleum Corporation each holding 20 percent, relies on a specialised fleet of Arc7 ice-class tankers. These vessels depend heavily on European ports for transshipment and on European shipyards—including Damen’s facility in Brest, France, and Denmark’s Fayard—for maintenance. Asian-bound shipments from Yamal fell 74 percent to just over 510,000 tonnes in the same period, partly because of shippers’ concerns about sanctions exposure and the longer, riskier Northern Sea Route.

From 1 January 2027, the EU will prohibit long-term LNG imports from Russia, and a ban on pipeline gas follows later that year. The European Commission has also clarified that re-exporting Russian LNG outside the EU will be forbidden, closing off a potential workaround for companies such as TotalEnergies, which had considered redirecting volumes to Asia. A 2023 EU regulation already allows member states to block Russian access to gas infrastructure, giving European buyers a legal basis to terminate contracts by invoking force majeure. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak has said supplies will be redirected to “friendly” Asian countries, but the project’s logistical dependence on European services makes any rapid pivot uncertain. The next factual milestone is the entry into force of the long-term import ban on 1 January 2027.