Exports of Russian LNG to EU countries in January 2026 reached a historic maximum, according to statistics from the European analytical center Bruegel. The surge in imports occurred against the backdrop of the EU's final approval of a full ban on gas supplies from Russia starting in 2027.
The volume of Russian LNG imports in January amounted to 2.276 billion cubic meters. This figure slightly exceeds the level of December 2025 and significantly — by 11% — surpasses the supply volume for January 2025, which stood at 2.05 billion cubic meters. Most of the gas was supplied via four separate routes: Nord Stream, Yamal — Europe (via Poland), Ukraine's gas transportation system and TurkStream, Bruegel claims.
At the same time, the EU was increasing supplies from other sources as well. LNG imports from the United States, as well as Trinidad and Tobago, rose by 18% over the same period compared with the previous month, reaching 8 billion cubic meters. About 772 million cubic meters of LNG were supplied to Europe from Africa, and 571 million cubic meters from the Middle East.
The total volume of LNG imports into Europe in January, according to Bruegel, amounted to 12.2 billion cubic meters. This is 1.3% higher than the December 2025 figure and 6% more than a year earlier.
Back in December 2024, a group of ten EU member states, including Finland, Poland and the Baltic states, proposed an initiative for an immediate ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas. On February 3 of this year, the full ban on purchases entered into force — LNG supplies will be halted from January 1, 2027, and pipeline gas supplies from September 30, 2027.
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