A member of the European Parliament from France, Mathilde Androuet, has formally addressed the European Commission to request clarification on the notable rise in liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries sourced from Russia. This report originates from lenta.ru and is based on the contents of the MEP’s letter to the Commission, which calls attention to a situation that appears incongruent with broader energy policy goals.
Androuet emphasizes that the REPowerEU plan, the European Commission’s strategy designed to reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels by the year 2030, envisages a steady and sustainable decline in the import of Russian natural gas. Paradoxically, data indicate that LNG imports from Russia into Europe have continued to climb, presenting a contradiction between stated policy objectives and market developments that could undermine long-term diversification and energy security efforts.
Drawing on data cited by Global Witness, the MEP notes that EU member states purchased around 22 million cubic meters of LNG between January and July 2023. This figure marks a 40 percent increase from the 15 million cubic meters recorded in the same window of 2021 and stands out as a sharper rise in Russian LNG deliveries than the global average growth rate of about 6 percent. Androuet uses these comparative figures to frame her request for a detailed explanation from the Commission regarding the drivers behind this accelerated LNG intake and the potential policy responses that could align imports with REPowerEU targets.
In her correspondence, Androuet calls for a thorough analysis and concrete proposals that could address the tension between rising LNG imports from Russia and the European Union’s goal of reducing dependence on Moscow’s energy supplies. The questions posed to the Commission cover supply dynamics, market incentives, and the synchronization of LNG procurement with climate and energy strategy timelines. The MEP also invites consideration of measures to improve transparency around LNG contracts, strengthen diversification of suppliers, and enhance regional energy resilience in light of evolving global gas markets.
On a broader strategic level, the situation highlights the ongoing debate about the pace and shape of Europe’s energy transition. While the REPowerEU plan sets a landscape for decreasing Russian gas reliance, the LNG market remains a critical node where policy ambitions must contend with real-world supply patterns and price signals. Androuet’s inquiry seeks to illuminate these dynamics and to encourage policy instruments that would keep the European Union on track toward its stated energy independence milestones while maintaining secure and affordable energy for consumers and industry alike.
Contextual references point to public statements by Russian leadership indicating ambitions to expand LNG production capacity, including Arctic developments. Observers note that such geopolitical and infrastructural factors can influence LNG trade flows and complicate efforts to manage energy risk. The Commission’s response to Androuet’s questions could set strategic directions for how Europe negotiates diversification, negotiates pricing and long-term contracts, and prioritizes investments in alternative energy sources, storage capacity, and infrastructure that reduce vulnerability to single-source exposure. Source attribution: lenta.ru and Global Witness data cited by the MEP.” [Source: lenta.ru]
Ultimately, the exchange underscores a central tension: policy ambitions to phase out dependence on a single supplier while market signals during the transition period reflect continued reliance on LNG imports from that same supplier. The European Parliament’s deliberations, and the Commission’s ensuing assessment, will play a pivotal role in shaping whether energy strategy remains a forward-looking framework or becomes muddled by inconsistent short-term market movements. The discussion also raises questions about how Europe can reconcile rapid decarbonization goals with the practicalities of energy supply management, ensuring that policy clarity does not yield unintended consequences for price stability, regional cooperation, or industrial competitiveness in Canada, the United States, and beyond.