**EU Reduces Russian Gas Imports by 75%**
The European Union has significantly reduced its gas imports from Russia. According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the share of Russian coal in Europe’s imports has gone from 50% before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to zero.
“We have reduced our gas imports from Russia by about 75%, and we now import only 3% of our oil from Russia,” von der Leyen said at a conference in Davos on January 21. She added that the EU had begun to wean itself off Russian energy commodities after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
**Russian Energy Exports Hit Hard**
The EU has been diversifying its energy sources since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Gazprom, the Russian gas company, reduced its flows to the EU to pressure Ukraine’s allies. However, European countries have continued buying Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), purchasing record amounts in 2024.
**No Longer Reliant on Russian Coal**
The EU has also ended its dependence on Russian coal, with imports going from 50% of total imports before Russia’s invasion to zero by 2025. Von der Leyen said that the EU had “exposed ourselves to blackmail” by relying heavily on Russian energy exports.
**Ukraine Continues to Diversify Energy Sources**
Kyiv has also signed an agreement with European countries to transit 40 billion cubic meters of Russian gas annually through Ukraine to buyers in the EU. However, this deal ended in December 2024, and Ukraine continues to diversify its energy sources.
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