In a move that underscores the geopolitical balancing act facing European policymakers, the European Union has reportedly abandoned plans to impose a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), according to an exclusive report from Reuters. The proposal, which was expected to be part of the bloc’s 17th sanctions package against Moscow, has been shelved following internal dissent and concerns over the broader implications for EU-US trade negotiations.

The backtracking represents a pragmatic, if controversial, decision by Brussels to retain Russian LNG as a strategic bargaining chip. As pressure mounts to maintain economic stability while punishing Russia for its ongoing war in Ukraine, the EU has opted to keep options open rather than lock itself into a restrictive energy policy that could undermine leverage in high-stakes talks with Washington.

The decision to drop the LNG ban from the sanctions package highlights deep divisions within the EU over how far to go in severing economic ties with Russia. While some member states, particularly in Eastern Europe and the Baltics, have long advocated for comprehensive sanctions, others – notably France, Spain, and Belgium – continue to rely heavily on Russian LNG imports to meet domestic energy needs.

According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), these three nations alone accounted for 85% of Europe’s Russian LNG imports in 2024. While pipeline gas imports from Russia have plummeted since 2022 following the Nord Stream sabotage and subsequent geopolitical rifts, imports of LNG from Moscow have paradoxically increased, suggesting a more nuanced reality than the EU’s official........

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