In the first quarter of 2026, the European Union increased imports of liquefied natural gas from Yamal LNG to 5 million tons. This is 17% higher than the same period last year, according to data from the analytical company Kpler, cited by the Financial Times. The cost of supplies is estimated at €2.88 billion.
Of the 71 shipments made by the company from January to March, 69 went to European ports — the share reached 97% against 87% a year earlier.
The increase in purchases coincided with the escalation of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where strikes on Qatari infrastructure blocked up to a third of the world's LNG flow.
The vacated niche was partially replaced by Yamal, despite Brussels' official course to abandon Russian gas by 2027.
Yamal LNG's capacity is nominally designed for 17.4 million tons per year, and the current load of the Arctic plant remains high. European terminals continue to receive ice-class cryogenic tankers, and the regasification infrastructure in Belgium, France, and Spain has no physical restrictions for Russian shipments. In fact, the EU gas market demonstrates a structural dependence on volumes that politicians promise to nullify.
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