Sanctions could lead to a ban on EU ports re-exporting Russian LNG to third countries outside the union, but EU countries could still import the fuel.
Liquefied natural gas plant near Korsakov on Sakhalin Island (Russia). (Photo: AFP/TTXVN)
On May 8, some European Union (EU) diplomats said the EU is considering expanding sanctions against Russia’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry related to the conflict in Ukraine. .
The purpose of this measure is to continue to hinder Russia’s revenue from fossil fuels as more and more opinions are expressed that previous sanctions are not as effective as the EU wants.
However, an EU diplomat said the discussions were only in the early stages. Another EU diplomat said this is a proposal from the European Commission, which addresses issues related to the transfer of LNG from one ship to another.
This measure could lead to a ban on ports in the EU re-exporting Russian LNG to third countries outside the union, but EU countries can still import this fuel. This proposal also mentions prohibiting the EU from participating in new Russian LNG projects.
According to experts, European ports are important for Russia because they are located on shorter shipping routes for some Russian LNG tankers.
German environmental organization Urgewald said ports in Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Spain were the main points for LNG supplies from Russia’s Yamal peninsula.
In addition, Belgium’s Zeebrugge port and France’s Montoir port are particularly important re-export centers to countries such as China and Türkiye.
According to an April report by the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research, last year, EU countries spent 8.2 billion euros ($8.8 billion) importing Russian LNG.
The EU has imposed 13 sanctions packages on Moscow since the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, mainly targeting Russia’s oil and gas exports./.
