How much of Europe’s oil and gas still comes from Russia?

Last week the European Commission said it was preparing to present tariffs connected Russian lipid imports entering the EU done Hungary and Slovakia.

It comes arsenic US President Donald Trump has piled unit connected NATO members to halt buying Russian energy, successful a bid to extremity the Russia-Ukraine war. At the UN past week helium said, “They’re backing the warfare against themselves. Who the hellhole ever heard of that one?” Trump was referring to the more-than 1 cardinal euros ($1.35bn) EU countries are inactive paying to Russia each period for fossil fuels.

In this explainer, Al Jazeera outlines the latest figures connected Europe’s lipid and state imports from Russia, wherefore immoderate countries stay babelike connected Russian energy and which different nations are present purchasing Russian fuel.

Which European states are inactive buying Russian energy?

According to the Centre for Research connected Energy and Clean Air (CREA), which tracks carnal flows of fossil fuels, the EU spent 1.15bn euros ($1.35bn) connected Russian fossil fuels successful August.

The 5 largest importers accounted for 85 percent of that total, buying 979 cardinal euros ($1.15 billion) worthy of Russian lipid and gas. The remaining 15 percent came from countries including Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria and Poland.

The apical buyers of Russian vigor include:

• Hungary: 416 cardinal euros ($488m)
• Slovakia: 275 cardinal euros ($323m)
• France: 157 cardinal euros ($184m)
• Netherlands: 65 cardinal euros ($76m)
• Belgium: 64 cardinal euros ($75m)

Hungary and Slovakia some purchased Russian crude lipid and pipeline gas, portion France, the Netherlands and Belgium imported liquefied earthy state (LNG), which is earthy state cooled into a liquid truthful it tin beryllium transported by vessel alternatively of done pipelines.

Europe’s dense reliance connected lipid and gas

Together, lipid (33 percent) and earthy state (24 percent) relationship for much than fractional of Europe’s vigor supply. Coal contributes 11.7 percent, followed by atomic astatine 11.2 percent, biofuels astatine 10.9 percent, star and upwind astatine 6.1 percent, and hydropower astatine 3.1 percent.

To transport these ample volumes of lipid and gas, Europe relies connected an extended web of 202,685 km of progressive pipelines arsenic of 2023, according to GlobalData.

A cardinal portion of this web is the 4,000 km (2,500 miles) Druzhba pipeline, 1 of the world’s longest lipid pipelines, with a capableness of 1.2 to 1.4 cardinal barrels per day, carrying lipid from eastbound Russia done Belarus and Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia.

Hungary and Slovakia proceed to person lipid done the pipeline nether a impermanent EU exemption, granted to forestall terrible vigor shortages, arsenic these landlocked countries trust heavy connected the Druzhba pipeline and person fewer alternate import routes oregon ports.

How has Europe’s reliance connected Russian state changed?

Before Russia’s penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022, the EU sourced much than 45 percent of its full state imports and 27 percent of its lipid from Russia. By 2024, these shares had fallen to 19 percent for state and 3 percent for oil.

Many European leaders person faced unit to enforce heavier sanctions connected Russia arsenic the EU seeks to trim its dependence connected Russian energy. However, this remains challenging for countries heavy reliant connected a azygous vigor source, for example, successful Hungary, much than 60 percent of vigor comes from lipid and gas.

Imports of Russian state fell from implicit 150 cardinal cubic meters (bcm) successful 2021 to little than 52 bcm successful 2024. This shortfall was mostly offset by accrued imports from different partners: US imports roseate from 18.9 bcm successful 2021 to 45.1 bcm successful 2024, Norway from 79.5 bcm to 91.1 bcm, and different partners from 41.6 bcm to 45 bcm.

What different commodities is Europe buying from Russia?

In summation to little vigor imports, the EU is present importing little nickel, robust and alloy from Russia.

However, fertiliser indispensable for farming, for which Russia is simply a large shaper and exporter, has accrued by astir 20 percent from 2021 to 2025.

Earlier this year, the European Commission’s connection to present a 6.5 percent tariff connected fertiliser imports from Russia and Belarus was endorsed by the European Commission with the purpose to signifier retired reliance connected inorganic fertiliser from Moscow.

Outside the EU, who is buying Russian energy?

In August, China was the largest purchaser of Russian fossil fuels, accounting for 5.7 bn euros ($6.7 bn) worthy of Russian vigor export revenues, with 58 percent (3.1 bn euros) of these imports being crude oil.

India was the second-largest buyer, with 3.6 bn euros ($4.2bn) successful imports, of which 78 percent (2.9 bn euros) was crude oil.

Turkiye ranked third, importing 3 bn euros ($3.5bn) worthy of energy, including a premix of pipeline gas, lipid products, crude lipid and coal.

The EU was the fourth-largest purchaser, accounting for 1.2 bn euros ($1.4bn)  successful imports. Two-thirds of these were Russian LNG and pipeline gas, valued astatine 773 cardinal euros ($907m).

South Korea was the fifth-largest purchaser astatine 564 cardinal euros ($662m), with three-quarters of its imports consisting of coal.