EU Considers Including LNG in New Sanctions Against Russia

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The European Union (EU) is reportedly considering measures to sanction Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) as part of new sanctions against Russia, Politico reported on the 26th (local time), citing sources.

According to the report, the EU Commission is reviewing ways to include some LNG-related sanctions in the upcoming 14th package of sanctions against Russia. EU diplomats indicated that the proposed sanctions could include restrictions on three new Russian LNG projects and a ban on the re-export of Russian LNG from EU ports.

Ambassadors from the 27 EU member states are expected to discuss specific sanction measures based on the Commission's proposal in early next month. This is the first time the EU is considering sanctions on the Russian gas sector.

Previously, following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the EU, in coordination with the Group of Seven (G7), introduced import sanctions on Russian coal and crude oil, but natural gas was continuously excluded from discussions due to the EU's high dependence on Russian gas and the ongoing energy crisis. Opposition remains strong among some EU member states, including Hungary, which relies heavily on Russian gas, making it difficult to reach a consensus on restricting gas imports.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.