Bypassing Sanctions: Russian LNG Reaches Germany Through Third Countries.

Germany continues to purchase large volumes of Russian LNG through other EU countries, although it has refused direct deliveries. According to FT, the German company Sefe bought 58 cargoes of Russian LNG through the port of Dunkirk in 2024, which is six times more than in the previous year.

Energy ministers from Belgium, France, and Spain say that only a small portion of the gas arriving at their ports is consumed in those countries. Most of the LNG is transported to other EU countries. Germany ordered its terminals not to accept direct deliveries of Russian LNG in November 2024.

'Germany has banned the import of Russian LNG through its ports. But the imports officially coming from France and Belgium actually partially consist of Russian LNG, which effectively 'launders' this gas. The end result: all involved countries can claim they are not responsible for the demand for Russian LNG, which is still increasing,' said Angelos Koutsis, a researcher at the Belgian think tank Bond Beter Leefmilieu.

A report prepared by non-governmental organizations notes that Germany still receives between 3% and 9.2% of its gas from Russia through other EU countries. The problem of tracing Russian gas in the EU's energy system is critically important as the Union seeks to phase out Russian energy sources.

Imports of Russian LNG to the EU reached a record level in 2024, while Brussels plans to completely phase out Russian fuel by 2027.