German demand for Russia LNG rises despite direct shipment ban

German demand for Russian LNG rises: Germany continues to purchase large quantities of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) through other EU countries, even though it has stopped accepting direct shipments of Russian fuel in November 2024, the Financial Times writes, citing a report by a consortium of European NGOs.

How is it happening? Germany’s LNG imports from France and Belgium are “in fact partly composed of Russian LNG, effectively whitewashing the gas,” Belgian think-tank Bond Beter Leefmilieu’s energy policy officer Angelos Koutsis told Financial Times. “The end result is that all countries involved can claim not to be responsible for the still increasing demand for Russian LNG,” Koutsis said.

REMEMBER- France’s LNG imports from Russia hit a new record in 2024, with deliveries exceeding any prior annual tallies since shipments began in 2018. Several EU member states, including France, are stressing the need for better tracking of Russian LNG imports.

ICYMI- Europe is no longer the top importer of Russian oil and natural gas, being overtaken byChina and India. Importing has become increasingly difficult amid increased US sanctions targeting dozens of oil traders and more than 180 tankers involved in shipping Russian oil.

ALSO- The EU backs away from banning Russian LNG: The European Commission will not ban Russian LNG in its latest sanctions package after some member states raised concerns about securing alternatives, EU diplomats told Reuters.