Russian Gas Exports to EU See Sharp Decline in June

(MENAFN) Russian natural gas exports to the European Union saw a sharp 18.3% drop in June compared to May, according to figures compiled by media. The decline is largely attributed to maintenance on key gas-pumping systems.

With Ukraine halting Russian gas transit through its territory at the end of last year, the TurkStream pipeline remains the only direct supply route for Russian gas to reach Türkiye and Southern Europe.

In a report released Wednesday, Reuters cited calculations based on data from the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG), showing that daily flows via TurkStream fell to 37.6 million cubic meters (mcm) in June, down from 46 mcm per day in May. Despite the month-over-month dip, shipments through the pipeline rose 6.8% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, which had seen 7.8 billion cubic meters (bcm) delivered.

Total Russian gas exports to the EU—including both pipeline deliveries and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments—reached 8.33 bcm in the first six months of 2025. That represents a steep 47% fall from the 15.5 bcm recorded during the same period in 2024.

Russia, once the EU’s largest natural gas supplier, drastically reduced exports in 2022 following sanctions imposed by the West over the Ukraine conflict, coupled with sabotage incidents targeting the Nord Stream pipelines. The country’s share of the EU’s pipeline gas imports shrank from over 40% in 2021 to approximately 11% by 2024.

Although EU legislation has not outright banned Russian gas, most member states have voluntarily reduced imports. However, several landlocked nations—including Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, the Czech Republic, and non-EU Serbia—continue to depend on restricted volumes under exemption arrangements.

Energy costs across the bloc soared after sanctions took effect. According to the European Court of Auditors (ECA), EU governments spent around €390 billion (approximately $421 billion USD) on gas and electricity subsidies in 2022 to shield households and businesses. Although prices have since stabilized to pre-crisis levels, the ECA has warned that European consumers remain vulnerable in future supply crunches, lacking guaranteed affordability.

In a major policy move last month, the European Commission unveiled its RePowerEU plan, which sets out to eliminate all Russian energy imports by 2027. The proposal faces opposition from Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, and reportedly Italy, but is expected to be introduced as trade legislation—allowing Brussels to bypass vetoes and push it through by majority vote.

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