Europe continues to acquire nearly one-fifth of its natural gas supply from Russia.
Although the ongoing Ukraine conflict, the European Union continues to procure nearly a fifth of its natural gas from Russia. As per an energy report released by the EU Commission in Brussels on Wednesday, imports have actually risen compared to the previous year. For Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria, Russia remains their primary gas provider.
During the initial six months of 2024, EU nations imported 18% of their natural gas from Russia, equating to 25.4 billion cubic meters. This was a significant increase from the 14% share in the first half of the previous year, totaling 21.2 billion cubic meters. Due to this, Russia has surpassed the USA and regained its position as the second-largest gas supplier to the EU, just behind Norway, as previously mentioned by the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel.
Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson encouraged member states to strengthen their efforts towards independence from Russia. However, she noted that Russia can no longer manipulate the EU by controlling its gas supply. In 2021, EU nations supposedly fulfilled 45% of their demand through Russian pipeline or liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Following the initiation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, EU nations vowed to swiftly phase out imports of fossil fuel Russian transporters, such as oil and gas. Nevertheless, a gas import ban is yet to be implemented due to disagreements among member states.
In response to the vow to phase out fossil fuel imports from Russia, the European Union is still negotiating a gas import ban due to disputes among its member states. Despite this, the EU continues to rely on Russia for a significant portion of its natural gas needs, with 18% imported during the first half of 2024.
In light of the continued reliance on Russian gas, Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson emphasizes the need for EU member states to enhance their energy independence efforts.
