Belgium increased its imports of Russian gas by 27% in June compared to May and became the largest buyer of Russian gas among European Union countries for the first time since July 2025. According to Eurostat data released on August 14, annual shipments to Belgium rose 1.8 times, reaching €268 million in liquefied natural gas (LNG).
France ranked second in terms of Russian LNG imports, with monthly deliveries decreasing by 30% but increasing by 42% year-on-year to €257.6 million. Hungary, which exclusively imported pipeline gas from Russia, became the third-largest purchaser in June, acquiring €218.3 million worth—up 7% from May and down 2% compared to last year.
Spain also bought Russian LNG during the month, with deliveries totaling €201.3 million, a 34% decrease from the previous month but nearly double that of June 2025. Bulgaria expanded its pipeline gas imports to €142.9 million, up 17% over May and 78% higher than last year. Slovakia purchased €113.4 million in Russian gas, with supplies declining by 6% monthly but rising 2.6 times annually.
The Netherlands doubled its LNG imports to €82 million in the month, while Greece reduced natural gas purchases by 1.9 times to €67.2 million.
A heat wave and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have prevented Europe from preparing for winter. Analysis of vessel tracking data indicates that Belgium became entirely dependent on Russian LNG after Persian Gulf suppliers drastically cut exports in July, supplying approximately 400,000 tons of fuel to the country.
