Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Europe's vulnerability in the energy sector has become increasingly apparent. Recently, the head of a major natural gas import hub in Europe warned that the EU should delay the implementation of a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) scheduled for 2027, otherwise it will face the risk of becoming overly dependent on the United States.
According to a report by the British 'Financial Times' on June 28th, Ivan Jimenez, who is in charge of operating the Port of Bilbao in Spain, stated in an interview with the newspaper that although Europe should reduce its natural gas imports from Russia, he warned that 'this cannot be achieved overnight'. Following the outbreak of the Middle East crisis, the EU's imports of liquefied natural gas from Russia have increased. Against this backdrop, he issued such a warning.
After the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, Europe has been committed to completely cutting off its dependence on Russian fossil fuels. The ban, which will apply to LNG contracts starting from January 1st next year, was reached after years of negotiations by European policymakers. Since the EU's decision last December, Jimenez has been one of the few industry professionals who publicly criticizes this ban. He believes there is still uncertainty about whether this measure will be fully implemented.
Himenes said that importers are likely to try to import as much as possible before the ban takes effect. “The quality of Russian natural gas is very good… And in terms of price, it is usually cheaper than natural gas from the United States.” According to data from the European Commission, the share of American LNG in Europe’s total imports has increased from 6% in 2021 to 29%, making it the second-largest source of natural gas imports in Europe after Norway.
According to Himenes' analysis, since this move could boost U.S. exports to Europe, he expects U.S. President Trump to continue pressuring the EU to maintain the ban on Russian natural gas. "Mr. Trump will insist on maintaining this ban, but I believe... the EU should take a more firm stance and consider what is in the best interest of the EU in the current situation."
In fact, as early as January this year, Teresa Ribera, the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for clean, fair, and competitive transition issues, warned in an interview with the Irish Broadcasting Corporation (RTE) that while the EU is seeking diversification of energy sources, it should not rely too heavily on American LNG imports.
We know that we cannot rely on Russian natural gas, and we should also pay attention not to overly depend on American natural gas. She said this at the time.
According to reports, although Spain’s main natural gas supply comes from pipelines in Algeria, according to data from the Spanish natural gas network operator Enagás, Russia provided 27.8% of Spain’s natural gas supply in May this year, representing a 58.5% increase compared to the same period last year.
When asked by the Financial Times about the high level of Russian natural gas imports and the upcoming ban, Environment Minister Sara Aagesen Muñoz said that the ban should be implemented as planned. She noted that the increase in imports is only temporary, “We understand that this is related to logistics operations in a constantly changing and volatile environment.” She added, “But I firmly believe that we believe it is feasible, and that from January 1st, Europe needs to completely break away from its dependence on Russian natural gas.”
Currently, most of the natural gas that Russia exports to Europe is transported in the form of LNG. The main source of this gas is the Yamal gas field operated by Novatek in Siberia. Hungary and Slovakia still receive Russian natural gas through pipelines, although both countries must also gradually stop such imports by September 2027.
It is precisely because Hungary and Slovakia rely on Russian supplies that the negotiations regarding the natural gas ban have been extremely difficult. As a compromise, the European Commission stated that if member states encounter difficulties in filling their natural gas reserves, the phase-out deadline could be postponed to November 2027.
The European Commission has postponed the negotiations regarding the gradual cessation of imports of Russian oil and nuclear products. Officials stated that the energy crisis has led to the shelving of these plans. However, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen insisted that the ban on natural gas will come into effect on January 1st next year.
According to data provided by the data provider Kpler, in the first five months of 2026, the Yamal project exported 8.7 million tons of LNG. Bergen is the fourth most popular destination for this fuel in Europe, following Zeebrugge in Belgium, Montoir-sur-Sèche in France, and the port of Dunkerque.
Some LNG imported through Spain, France, and Belgium is also supplied to customers outside these countries, particularly the company Sefe in Germany.
According to port data, in 2024, Russia accounted for more than three-quarters of the natural gas imports into Bilbao. This share then dropped to 48% in 2025. This decline occurred after the European ban was announced and the EU took broader measures to reduce its dependence on Russian energy supplies, particularly switching to American suppliers. In 2025, imports from the United States accounted for 49% of Bilbao's natural gas supply.
However, during the period from January to May this year, Russian natural gas imports rose again, accounting for 59% of total imports, while the share of the United States decreased to 40%. According to The Financial Times, Spanish customs procedures make it easier to import Russian goods compared to goods from other countries. When customs agencies issue compliance certificates for LNG goods, they include a QR code, which allows relevant parties to verify the information through a database.
