How European Union Ports Enabled the Kremlin to Earn Billions from Gas Sales

EU Remains Top Buyer of Russian Arctic LNG Despite Sanctions

Although the European Union has publicly pledged to reduce its reliance on Russian energy, recent statistics show that EU ports continued to be the leading destination for Russia’s main Arctic liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports throughout 2025. According to a report by the NGO Urgewald, which analyzed Kpler vessel-tracking data, EU terminals processed 76.1% of all shipments from the Yamal LNG plant last year, generating an estimated €7.2 billion ($8.4 billion) in revenue for Russia.

These revelations come as the EU moves toward implementing a gradual ban on Russian LNG, set to be fully enforced by 2027. However, the data suggests that progress toward this goal has been slow. In 2025, Yamal LNG made up 14.3% of all LNG imports into the EU, meaning that about one out of every seven LNG carriers docking at European ports originated from this Siberian facility.

The Arctic’s Strategic Weakness and Europe’s Role

Located deep in the Russian Arctic, the Yamal LNG project is central to President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions to expand Russia’s presence in the global LNG market. The project, however, faces a significant logistical hurdle: it depends on a small, specialized fleet of just 14 Arc7 ice-class tankers capable of navigating the icy Northern Sea Route.

Because this fleet is both limited in size and highly specialized, the commercial success of Yamal LNG relies on keeping these vessels on short, efficient routes. By unloading cargo at European ports such as Zeebrugge in Belgium or Montoir in France, these icebreaking ships can quickly return to the Arctic for another load. This logistical setup enables Russia to maintain high export volumes—something that would be unfeasible if the tankers had to undertake lengthy journeys to Asia.

Sebastian Rötters, a sanctions expert at Urgewald, commented, “While Brussels touts its plans to phase out Russian gas, our ports are still serving as the logistical backbone for Russia’s largest LNG operation. We’re not just buyers; we’re the infrastructure that keeps this major project running.”

Key Import Hubs and Shipping Dynamics

France was the main gateway for Yamal LNG into the EU in 2025, with 87 shipments delivering 6.3 million tonnes of gas to the ports of Dunkirk and Montoir—accounting for nearly 42% of all Yamal LNG entering the EU. Belgium’s Zeebrugge terminal was the busiest single port, receiving 58 ships, surpassing the 51 ships that arrived at all Chinese ports combined during the same timeframe.

Western Firms Dominate LNG Shipping

The majority of the Arc7 tanker fleet is controlled by Western companies. Seapeak, headquartered in the UK, and Greece-based Dynagas own 11 of the 14 specialized vessels serving Yamal. Together, these two companies were responsible for transporting over 70% of the LNG volumes shipped to the EU last year.

Industry Trends and Geopolitical Ramifications

The ongoing import of Russian LNG is a contentious issue for European energy security. While the EU’s 14th sanctions package, enacted in 2024, banned the transshipment of Russian LNG to third countries via EU ports, it stopped short of prohibiting imports for domestic use within the bloc.

Experts predict that 2026 will be a turning point for the global LNG market, as significant new supplies from the United States and Qatar are expected to come online. This influx could help stabilize prices and reduce the EU’s dependence on Russian gas. However, Urgewald cautions that unless the EU takes steps to prevent the Arc7 fleet from being transferred to so-called “shadow fleet” operators when current contracts expire, Russia may still find ways to bypass the 2027 ban.

“It’s crucial for the EU and the UK to ensure that control of the Arc7 fleet does not slip away at the end of the year,” Rötters emphasized.

The European Commission has mandated that member states submit plans by March 1, 2026, detailing how they will replace remaining Russian gas imports. While Spain reduced its Yamal LNG imports by 33% in 2025, the EU as a whole remains heavily reliant on Russian supplies, underscoring the difficulty of balancing energy needs with political objectives.