France, Belgium, and Spain have spent more on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) than on aid to Ukraine since the start of the war in 2022, environmental group Greenpeace Belgium said Tuesday.
The report found that the three countries, together with the Netherlands, accounted for 95% of LNG imports to the European Union and paid €34.3 billion ($40.2 billion) for Russian LNG between 2022 and mid-2025, compared with €21.2 billion in bilateral support for Kyiv.
France was the biggest buyer with €12.75 billion, followed by Spain (€9.5 billion) and Belgium (€6.21 billion). Belgium provided €3.2 billion in aid to Ukraine, Spain €1.47 billion, and France €7.56 billion. The Netherlands was the only country to spend more on aid (€8.99 billion) than on Russian LNG (€5.84 billion).
According to the report, the Belgian port of Zeebrugge has become the single largest entry point for Russian LNG in the EU, handling around one-quarter of all volumes.
Imports through the terminal reached 3.3 billion cubic meters in the first half of 2025, putting it on track to surpass previous records despite an EU ban on reexports.
The report also highlighted growing EU reliance on LNG from the US, noting that European buyers have signed a wave of long-term contracts since 2022. Greenpeace warned this could replace one dependency with another, calling instead for a rapid transition to renewable energy.
The European Commission has proposed ending Russian fossil fuel imports by 2027, while a new sanctions package aims to ban Russian LNG imports by 2026.
By Melike Pala in Brussels
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr
