The European Union increased purchases of Russian liquefied gas on the eve of a complete ban on its import. The EU paid Russia almost 9 billion euros for gas, writes the German publication Berliner Zeitung.
From January to October, 12.89 million tons arrived at European ports from the Russian Yamal complex, which is 6.3% more than in the same period last year. The value of imports amounts to 8.7 billion euros. This is approximately 1.5 billion euros more than for the entire last year.
At the same time, the Belgian port of Zeebrugge paused purchases in the autumn, but still remains the largest hub for Russian LNG in Europe, having received 42 shipments with a total volume of about 3.1 million tons.
The publication notes that from January 1, 2027, a ban on supplies of Russian LNG will also apply to long-term contracts that Brussels had until now exempted from restrictions. Thus, supplies will cease in the middle of winter. At the same time, as of November 10, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) data, EU gas storage facilities are only 72% full. This is the lowest figure since 2011.
How much gas the EU will actually need from January depends on consumption and on how much "blue fuel" suppliers withdraw from storage. At the same time, the former director of natural gas procurement at Eon Ruhrgas, now a Member of the European Parliament, Thomas Geisel, doubted that Russian LNG and pipeline gas could be replaced from other sources for long.
On November 11, it became known about a possible gas shortage this winter in Germany. Der Spiegel magazine wrote that in the event of an abnormally cold winter, Germany could face gas supply disruptions.
It was previously reported that the European Union faces the threat of a "blue fuel" shortage in winter. Because of this, the EU will likely have to urgently seek a replacement for energy resources sufficient to provide electricity to 12 million households.
At the same time, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the European Union intends to completely abandon imports of Russian gas by the end of 2027.