'Disappointing' — Russian Arctic LNG imports to EU rise despite ban as loophole persists (opens in new tab)

EU imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Yamal project increased by nearly 18% in the first five months of 2026, according to a report by environmental and sanctions-monitoring NGO Urgewald shared with the Kyiv Independent. The figures show the challenges facing EU's effort to end its dependency on Russian energy, despite the bloc's phased ban on Russian gas imports. While Brussels has introduced restrictions on Russian LNG imports, loopholes in the current scheme have allowe