EU boosts Russian LNG imports despite phaseout plans – FT

RT News · 🇷🇺 public Russia · Apr 10, 2026 · 437 words · By Russia Today

Energy Security and Geopolitics Economic Crisis Risk

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EU quietly ramps up Russian LNG imports despite ban plans – FT The EU has sharply increased its purchases of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the first quarter of 2026 even as it insists it will phase out Russian energy by the end of next year, the…

Claims checked 10

Techniques found 3

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage

Left14%

Center86%

Right0%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

According to Kpler data cited by the outlet, the EU’s imports from Russia’s Yamal LNG project in Siberia rose 17% year-on-year to 5 million tons in Q1, with the bloc spending an estimated €2.9 billion ($3.1 billion).

Common ground

The EU took 69 of 71 shipments – or 97% – including 25 in March alone, compared to 59 of 68 shipments (87%) in the same period of 2025.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Appeal to Authority: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Energy Security and Geopolitics story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that The EU has sharply increased its purchases of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the first quarter of 2026 even as it insists it will phase out Russian energy by the end of next year, the Financial Times reported on Friday?
How does this story connect Energy Security and Geopolitics with Economic Crisis Risk over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.rt.com/news/637969-eu-russian-lng-imports/

psychologyDetected Techniques

warning

Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

warning

Name Calling / Labeling 75% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

warning

Appeal to Authority 60% confidence

Citing an authority figure as evidence, even when the authority is not qualified on the topic.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

10 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

help Insufficient Evidence 7

verified Verified By Reference 3

verified

“The EU has sharply increased its purchases of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the first quarter of 2026 even as it insists it will phase out Russian energy by the end of next year, the Financial Times reported on Friday.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — As part of the sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation as a result of the Russo-Ukrainian War, on 3 December 2022, the European Union (EU) agreed to cap the price of natural gas in order to reduce…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EU_natural_gas_price_cap

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — International sanctions have been imposed against Russia and Crimea during the Russo-Ukrainian War by a large number of countries, including the United States, Canada, the European Union, and internat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_sanctions_during…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The first plant, Sakhalin II, was completed in Russia in 2009 having utilised the skills of Shell plc, who under duress sold 50% of the project to Gazprom in 2006. Prior to 2017 Gazprom was the sole p…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquefied_natural_gas_industry…

verified

“According to Kpler data cited by the outlet, the EU’s imports from Russia’s Yamal LNG project in Siberia rose 17% year-on-year to 5 million tons in Q1, with the bloc spending an estimated €2.9 billion ($3.1 billion).”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Black British people or Black Britons are a multi-ethnic group of British people who have ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. The term black has historically had a number of applic…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_British_people

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Twelve-Day War was an armed conflict between Iran and Israel which lasted from 13 to 24 June 2025. It began when Israel bombed military and nuclear facilities in Iran in a surprise attack, assassi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-Day_War

verified

“The EU took 69 of 71 shipments – or 97% – including 25 in March alone, compared to 59 of 68 shipments (87%) in the same period of 2025.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Iran war, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has led to what the International Energy Agency has characterized as the "largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil m…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_impact_of_the_2026_Ir…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas (predominantly methane, CH4, with some mixture of ethane, C2H6) that has been cooled to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage or transpo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquefied_natural_gas

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Shannon LNG is a project that proposes to develop a liquefied natural gas receiving terminal on the Shannon Estuary near Ballylongford and Tarbert in County Kerry.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon_LNG

help

“EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen reaffirmed Brussels will not revise its planned ban on Russian gas imports, with LNG supplies slated to finish by the end of 2026 and pipeline gas by autumn 2027.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

help

“The conflict has severely disrupted flows through the Strait of Hormuz – a key chokepoint handling about 20% of global seaborne oil and LNG – and hit Gulf energy infrastructure, driving a surge in LNG prices.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

help

“Asian spot rates and European TTF nearly doubled before easing after the April 8 ceasefire, but both remain well above pre-conflict levels.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

help

“Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that “Europe is heading toward one of the most severe economic crises in its history,” insisting “the only way out is to lift the sanctions imposed on Russian energy.””

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

help

“Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-chair Alice Weidel urged a “return to an affordable and reliable energy supply” and purchasing energy “where it is cheapest, which is Russia” to stay competitive.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

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“According to Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev, “Europe and Britain will beg for Russian energy” as the crisis deepens, arguing that the bloc is unprepared for a “long-lasting energy shock” due to its failure to diversify supplies – a shortfall he blamed on “Russophobic, Green, and woke ideology.””

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

help

“Reacting to an FT report on X, he added: “As predicted, Europe needs Russia to survive.””

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.