EU Received 96.7 Percent of Yamal LNG Exports in First Five Months of 2026

European Union imports of Russian liquefied natural gas increased between January and May 2026, according to data from Kpler analyzed by environmental NGO Urgewald. The figures show 8.37 million tonnes of Yamal LNG delivered to EU ports, a 17.9 percent rise from the same five-month period in 2025.

This volume accounted for 96.7 percent of all Yamal LNG exports in the first five months of 2026. In May alone, 23 of 25 Yamal cargo shipments reached EU ports, totaling 92 percent of exports for that month.

LNG contracts signed before 17 June 2025 were banned starting in April 2026, while new Russian import contracts were banned from 18 March 2026. A nine-month gap remains for contracts concluded between those dates, leaving the measures without full effect on current flows.

Long-term contract bans are scheduled to begin in 2027. Officials stated that existing long-term agreements continue to allow deliveries until the later restrictions take hold.

John Lough, head of international at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre, said LNG sales provide revenue to the Russian state but are not of critical importance. He noted that Russia continues to sell oil and gas to Asian markets. Sebastian Rötters, sanctions campaigner at Urgewald, said Russia lacks immediate alternatives and Europe retains demand for the gas.

He added that potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz may prompt buyers to secure additional volumes before the 2027 long-term ban. Lough also stated that overall sanctions and reduced European dependency have damaged the Russian economy for decades, even as daily changes in LNG flows remain limited.