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- October 22, 202615°
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- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN84,591+1.99%
- October 22, 202615°
Belgium gets all July gas from Russia despite EU LNG ban plan
Bloomberg data shows Belgium sourced all its July LNG imports from Russia. Conflicts and supply cuts in the Middle East are making it harder for Europe to curb its reliance on Russian energy.
Despite the European Union's plans to end reliance on Russian energy, Belgium met all its natural gas needs from Russia in July. Ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg revealed that Russia was Belgium's sole supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) last month.
Belgium's total LNG imports fell to around 400,000 tonnes of Russian gas, a decline of over 40% compared to the same period last year. The country continued to receive pipeline gas from Norway and the United Kingdom during this time.
EU sanctions plan at odds with reality
This runs counter to the EU's ban on short-term contracts introduced in April and preparations for a full ban on Russian LNG imports from next year. According to data from the German organisation Orgivald, the EU's Russian LNG imports rose 16% in the first half of 2026 to €5.96 billion compared to the same period last year. France, Belgium and Spain led the imports.
Supply cuts from the Middle East have forced European buyers to turn to Russian gas. Russia is the EU's second-largest LNG supplier after the US. Some observers question the feasibility of a full ban if supply problems stemming from the Middle East persist.
Europe's gas stocks sound the alarm
Europe is increasingly struggling to fill its gas storage ahead of winter. High prices and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have prompted energy companies to postpone purchases. Market data shows that Europe's gas stocks are at their lowest seasonal level since 2009.
Russian energy company Gazprom warned that the gas deficit in Europe's underground storage facilities poses a serious risk during the winter months. According to the company, the storage deficit reached 12 billion cubic meters, and as of July 31, the volume of stored gas was 17.3% lower than the same period last year. Storage levels in Germany, the Netherlands and France remained below the European average.
Gazprom stated that the continuation of this situation could threaten Europe's ability to secure reliable winter supplies amid intensifying global LNG competition. Before the start of the Ukraine war in 2022, Gazprom met about 40% of Europe's natural gas needs through its pipeline network. The company's exports to the continent reached 201.7 billion cubic meters in 2021. Following European sanctions and a shift to alternative suppliers such as the US, Qatar and Norway, that figure dropped to around 15 billion cubic meters in 2024.
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