Pipeline gas exports from Russia to Europe have fallen to their lowest level in a decade

Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe fell by 44% in 2025 and reached their lowest level since the mid-1970s.

This is evidenced by Reuters calculations.

The drop is due to the closure of the transit route through Ukraine and the EUʼs gradual rejection of imports of Russian fossil fuels. The European Union previously announced its intention to completely stop importing Russian gas by the end of 2027 in order to reduce energy dependence on Russia and limit the financing of its war against Ukraine.

According to Reuters, “Gazprom” deliveries to Europe in 2025 amounted to about 18 billion cubic meters of gas, all transported through the “TurkStream” pipeline. This is the lowest level since the early 1970s. At the same time, exports via “TurkStream” to Europe this year increased by about 7% compared to 2024, when they amounted to 16.8 billion cubic meters.

In 2024, total Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe, including the Ukrainian route, amounted to 32 billion cubic meters, which is 13% more than in 2023.

The only route for Russian pipeline gas supplies to Europe after the cessation of transit through Ukraine is “TurkStream”. Gas is received via this route, in particular, by Serbia, Hungary and Slovakia, as well as Turkey. According to Reuters, “Gazprom” exports to Turkey amount to about 20 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

Russia also continues to supply gas to Europe in the form of liquefied natural gas by sea tankers and remains the second largest supplier of LNG to the EU after the US.

The EU and the rejection of Russian gas

In May 2022, the EU put forward the REPowerEU proposal — the European Commissionʼs plan to end dependence on Russian fossil fuels by 2030 in response to Russiaʼs full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In May 2025, the European Commission published a plan to completely abandon Russian energy sources. It included the following points:

Complete cessation of Russian gas imports by the end of 2027. Russian gas will be better tracked on European markets, and new contracts with Russian suppliers will be banned, as will spot deals.

The EU will impose new restrictions on Russiaʼs shadow fleet, which are oil tankers that Russia uses to circumvent Western sanctions.

Restrictions on new contracts involving “Euratom Help”.

The European Atomic Energy Community is a special organization created within the European Union to develop the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

on the supply of uranium, enriched uranium and other nuclear materials from Russia.

Thanks to the REPowerEU plan, the EU reduced its share of Russian gas imports from 45% to 19% from May 2022. However, in 2024, Russian gas imports started to increase again.

On December 17, the European Parliament approved the European Unionʼs plan to gradually phase out Russian gas imports by the end of 2027. Russian LNG imports are planned to be banned from the beginning of 2026, and pipeline gas imports will be gradually reduced by September 30, 2027.

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