Russia’s pipeline gas exports to Europe hit a 50-year low

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　　According to data from the European natural gas system operators’ network, Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe in 2025 dropped by 44% compared to 2018, reaching the lowest level since the mid-1970s. According to Reuters analysis, this is mainly due to the disruption in exports via Ukraine and the EU’s gradual reduction of imports of fossil fuels from Russia. 　　Between 2018 and 2019, Russia’s pipeline gas exports to Europe reached record levels of 175–180 billion cubic meters per year, generating substantial revenues for Russia’s state-owned gas monopoly, Gazprom. However, since Ukraine did not renew its contract for the transit of natural gas, Russia’s only route for transporting natural gas to Europe is the TurkStream undersea pipeline. In addition to Turkey, countries such as Serbia, Hungary, and Slovakia also import Russian gas via this route. 　　Russia also exports gas to Europe in the form of liquefied natural gas via tankers, making it the EU’s second-largest supplier of gas after the United States. Previously, the EU announced that it would completely ban imports of Russian natural gas by the end of 2027, in an effort to reduce its dependence on Russia for energy.