Separate from LNG, the sanctions package will propose penalties on more aging oil-exporting tankers operating as part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet, the diplomats added. The EU will target 74 new vessels, two other EU diplomats said.

Energy ministers from Belgium, France and Spain, whose ports receive shipments from Russian LNG tankers, have insisted that very little of the gas arriving is used domestically and that most is piped on to other EU countries. In November, Germany ordered its state-operated import terminals to reject any Russian LNG cargoes.

In 2024, Germany increased imports of Russian LNG and helped set a new record for purchases of liquefied natural gas from Russia in the EU. This is stated in a joint analysis of the environmental organizations Deutsche Umwelthilfe,

Tankers carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) are increasingly changing course in the Atlantic, heading to European ports. This shift is due to the growing demand for gas in Europe, prompted by the loss of Russian pipeline supplies through Ukraine and cooler weather,

The state-owned German energy company SEFE continues to play a central role in the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia into the European Union, according to analysis released on Tuesday.

Germany's imports of Russian liquified natural gas (LNG) via other EU countries continue to rise despite restrictions on direct shipments, the Financial Times wrote on Jan. 28, citing a report by Belgian,