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Belgium Buys All July LNG Imports From Russia Despite Impending EU Ban
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Belgium became entirely dependent on Russia for its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports last month as war in the Middle East severely disrupted alternative European supply routes, Bloomberg reported on August 3.
Total LNG shipments to Belgium—formerly Europe’s fifth-largest fuel importer—dropped by more than 40% in July compared to the previous year, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.
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Belgian buyers imported approximately 0.4 million tons of LNG exclusively from Russia, in addition to pipeline gas delivered from Norway and the United Kingdom. This total reliance on Russian LNG came as shipping bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz pushed prices higher, prompting European importers to temporarily pause winter stockpiling.
The sudden reliance on Russian energy complicates broader policy goals within the European Union, which has prohibited short-term Russian LNG deals since April ahead of a full ban slated for next year, Bloomberg detailed.
Despite these regulatory curbs, European purchases of Russian LNG rose 16% in the first half of 2026 to €5.96 billion ($6.9 billion), driven primarily by buyers in France, Belgium, and Spain seeking substitutes for Middle Eastern fuel, Bloomberg wrote.
The situation highlights growing strain across the continent as European gas storage reserves drop to their lowest seasonal levels since 2009.
EU officials maintain that the prohibition on Russian LNG will proceed as scheduled next year despite supply disruptions. However, industry analysts have raised concerns over the feasibility of the ban if Middle Eastern shipping routes remain compromised, forcing European economies to choose between energy shortfalls and sanctions compliance, Bloomberg noted.
The surge in Belgian purchases follows a wider trend across the continent, where EU member states imported a record 9.89 million metric tons of Russian LNG from the Yamal project during the first half of 2026 despite upcoming EU phase-out bans.
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