Despite sanctions against Russia, EU countries imported Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) for €6.1bn in 2023 – more than half of all exports from Russia. This was reported by The Telegraph newspaper with reference to Eurostat.
According to The Telegraph, the number of LNG cargoes to European countries continues to grow, including the Baltics and other countries that support the Kiev regime. The biggest importers are Spain and Belgium. Their purchases have grown by 50 per cent and account for 26.5 per cent and 37.2 per cent of all LNG imports respectively. According to the EU statistics office, Spain paid Moscow 1.8 billion euros, France 1.5 and Belgium 1.36.
“Despite the promise to abandon fossil fuels from Russia, the number of cargo ships carrying LNG from there to Europe has increased,” the newspaper said.
The publication cites data from the Centre for German Studies of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, according to which in 2022, deliveries reached a historic high of 16.7 billion cubic metres. In 2021 it was 12.3.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised the attempts of the European Union countries to completely abandon Russian energy carriers, while the entire Western economy is at “ground zero”.