Russia Still Ranks Among Top EU Gas Suppliers Despite Pipeline Upset
The tanker Sun Arrows loads its cargo of liquefied natural gas from the Sakhalin-2 project in the port of Prigorodnoye, Russia, on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021
Russia remains one of the leading gas exporters to the EU—primarily through seaborne LNG shipments—even as its pipeline gas volumes have plummeted since 2022, according to a new analysis by the Bruegel think tank in Brussels.However, overall LNG imports to the EU have recently declined due to lower US supplies and a partial halt in Middle Eastern deliveries.Europe’s gas reserves are currently at 49% capacity, below the typical seasonal average, the latest figures show.
In the first five months of 2026, Russian pipeline gas imports climbed 7% and LNG imports surged 11% year-on-year, according to analysts at the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) —a sign that Russian energy flows to Europe may be experiencing a temporary revival.
Despite this uptick, Russian gas still accounts for about 12% of total EU consumption. By comparison, the US is now the bloc’s largest LNG supplier, holding more than 60% of the market share.
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