Most European consumers have refrained from purchasing LNG for their winter reserves due to persistently high gas prices resulting from disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Although Belgian imports from Russia were also lower than earlier this year, the figures, according to Bloomberg, complicate the European Union’s energy policy, as the EU has introduced a ban on Russian LNG starting next year.
The total LNG flows to Belgium — which was last year the fourth-largest importer of the fuel in Europe — decreased by more than 40 per cent compared to the previous year, according to data collected by Bloomberg.
The data shows that our country purchased approximately 0.4 million tonnes of LNG from Russia. Belgium also receives pipeline gas from Norway and the United Kingdom.
EU member states should already be reducing their LNG purchases from Russia, as a ban on short-term contracts has been in place since April, ahead of the full ban coming into effect next year. Instead, volumes have actually increased, according to Bloomberg, as buyers sought alternatives to supplies from the Middle East.
After the United States, Russia remains the largest supplier of LNG to the EU.
The initial translation of this content was generated by AI. All facts, context, and language have subsequently been verified and validated by a human editorial team.
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