EU spent €23 billion on Russian energy in 2024

This was stated by European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jørgensen during a debate in the European Parliament, Radio Liberty reports.

“Before 2022, half of the coal we used in the EU was from Russia. This we have stopped completely. On oil, we have gone from 26% to 3% of our oil being from Russia. And finally gas. We have gone from 45% of our gas coming from Russia in 2022 to 13% today…Last year we in the EU paid €23 billion to Russia for our energy imports,” Jørgensen said.

He also explained to the MEPs how the European Commission plans to gradually phase out Russian gas from EU markets by 2027, and all other energy sources by 2030.

European Commissioner Jørgensen said that the EU’s goal is to minimize the negative impact on energy prices, stabilize energy markets, and ensure legal certainty, which is why the bloc would proceed step by step. He announced new rules that would allow Russian gas to be tracked on the market and noted that the European Commission expects member states to submit national plans for the gradual phase-out of Russian energy resources.

He recommended that the first plans be submitted within the year to ensure a safe and well-prepared transition, and added that control over illegal oil entering the market via the Russian shadow fleet would also be strengthened. Jørgensen explained that these decisions are part of a broader effort to reshape trade relations with Russia in light of ongoing security risks.

Jørgensen concluded that, given the significant shift in policy, there is no foreseeable scenario in which Nord Stream would be used in the future to transport Russian energy to Europe. He emphasized that this approach aligns with the EU’s economic security interests and noted that a variety of measures are being taken, all aimed at ensuring a safer, more sustainable, and diversified energy supply.

• Earlier, the Financial Times reported that imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the European Union reached a record high in 2024, despite the bloc's efforts to reduce its gas dependency on Russia following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.