Belgium LNG imports in July 100% Russian, report says
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EU imports of Russian LNG continue to fall months ahead of an anticipated ban, but Moscow nevertheless accounted for 100% of Belgium's LNG imports in July, reveals the latest analysis by energy think tank CREA, published Aug. 10.
The report mentions that across France, Spain, and Belgium, Russian LNG imports plummeted by a combined 46%, and globally Moscow earned 36% less on LNG than it had in July.
However, "Belgium sourced all of its LNG imports in July from Russia," claims the Helsinki-based Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
The Ukrainian civil society network B4Ukraine responded to the report, saying "it is deeply shameful that ... EU countries keep sending billions of euros to Russia for fossil fuels."
According to the CREA report, Hungary and Slovakia are the top two EU countries paying for Russian fossil fuel imports, spending 486 million euros and 299 million euros in July, respectively.
The two countries remain connected to Russian pipeline networks: oil via the Druzhba pipeline, and gas via Balkan Stream.
Belgium, France, and Bulgaria rounded out the top five EU countries importing Russian fossil fuels.
The EU agreed in Jan. 2026 to a full ban on Russian LNG imports from the beginning of 2027 and on pipeline gas imports by the autumn of that year.
Globally, China remains the largest importer of Russian fossil fuels according to CREA, accounting for 43% of Russia's fossil fuel revenue.
But India, Russia's second-largest customer, recorded an all-time high for imports of Russian crude oil for the second month in a row, CREA notes.
The U.S. Senate backed a new bill that would impose tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas on Aug. 7.
If finalized, the law would impose 100% tariffs on the world's five largest buyers of Russian energy.
