Russian Deputy Foreign Minister: Liquefied natural gas is still being exported to the EU, but the volume is "no longer comparable to before"

(1) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko stated during the Eastern Economic Forum that Russian liquefied natural gas is still being exported to the European Union, but current export volumes are already much lower than at the historical peak—previously, Russia accounted for approximately 40% of the EU's natural gas balance. (2) According to data cited by the Financial Times from analysts, in the first half of 2026, the European Union is set to procure nearly 10 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas from the Yamal project, an 18% year-on-year increase. (3) The European Union has previously approved a phased ban: the import ban on liquefied natural gas for short-term contracts will take effect on 25 April 2026, while the ban on long-term contracts will take effect on 1 January 2027; the pipeline natural gas short-term contract ban will take effect on 17 June 2026, with the long-term contract ban effective from 1 November 2027.