European countries imported a record 9.89 million tons of liquefied natural gas from Russia's largest LNG facility, Yamal LNG, in the first half of 2026, the Financial Times reported, citing data from analytics firm Kpler. That is 18% more than in the same period last year. According to estimates by the German non-governmental organization Urgewald, the supplies may have cost European buyers around €6 billion.

France bought the most gas — 3.6 million tons. Belgium imported 2.9 million tons, and Spain — 2.7 million tons. Together, these three countries accounted for more than 90% of all Yamal LNG deliveries to the EU.

Europe effectively purchased almost all the gas produced by the plant over six months. Meanwhile, deliveries from the project to Asia fell by 74%, to just over 510,000 tons.

The co-owners of Yamal LNG are Russia's Novatek (controlling stake — 50.1%), France's TotalEnergies (20%), China National Petroleum Corporation (20%), and China's Silk Road Fund (9.9%). TotalEnergies retained its stake in the project after the start of the full-scale war but said it could exit after sanctions banning European companies from buying Russian LNG for resale outside the EU take effect.

The European market remains critically important for Yamal LNG due to logistical constraints: the project depends on a small fleet of Arc7 ice-class tankers. Rapid unloading of these vessels at European ports allows them to return to Yamal, while the route to Asia via the Northern Sea Route takes longer and involves additional risks. The tankers also undergo repairs and maintenance at shipyards in France and Denmark.

A full ban on imports of Russian LNG under long-term contracts will take effect on January 1, 2027. Restrictions on short-term contracts have already been in place since spring 2026: importers of each shipment must now confirm to customs authorities that the gas is supplied under a long-term agreement. In March 2026, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that after the ban is introduced, supplies will be redirected to “friendly” Asian countries.