Ukrainian campaign group Razom We Stand, together with 60 European and international organisations, has today sent an open letter to EU leaders urging them to close one of the most dangerous loopholes in the sanctions regime against Russia: its continued trade in liquefied natural gas (LNG)
The letter, addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, High Representative Kaja Kallas, European Council President António Costa, and all 27 EU Heads of State and Government, demands that the EU adopt a full ban on Russian LNG in the upcoming 19th sanctions package.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, the Kremlin has earned more than €931 billion from fossil fuel exports, with €213 billion coming from the EU alone, including over €105 billion from gas sales. In 2024, the EU paid nearly €22 billion for Russian fossil fuels, surpassing the €18 billion financial aid provided to Ukraine in the same period. These revenues bankroll the missiles, drones and bombs that take countless lives, destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leave families without heat or electricity, and result in the destruction of the EU’s own mission in Ukraine.
Dr. Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Executive Director of Razom We Stand, said:
“Every euro spent on Russian LNG is a weapon aimed at Ukraine. It funds the Russian missiles that tear through our homes, schools, and hospitals. Europe’s money still flows to the Kremlin, and with it come the funerals of our loved ones. How many more lives must be shattered before this hypocrisy ends? Europe cannot drape itself in words of solidarity while financing the very bombs raining down on us. The 19th sanctions package must draw a hard line to ban Russian LNG completely and permanently, with no more loopholes and no more excuses. Ukrainians don’t need promises – we need Europe’s courage to turn solidarity into action and finally stop Russia’s war economy.”
The coalition’s demands to EU leaders include:
- Implement an immediate and full ban on Russian LNG imports and purchases in the upcoming 19th sanctions package.
- Sanction all the LNG tankers tied to Russian LNG projects. Out of 81 LNG vessels identified by Razom We Stand, the EU has sanctioned only 18 of them (15 standard LNG tankers, 2 offshore ships and only 1 Arc7 ice class carrier). Arc7 carriers are particularly valuable to Novatek, Russia’s second-largest gas producer, which relies heavily on them.
- Prohibit EU shipyards such as Damen and Fayard A/S from repairing and maintaining Russian Arc7 ice-class LNG tankers.
- Sanction Novatek and its subsidiaries, as well as Novatek’s CEO Leonid Mikhelson, following the examples of the UK in 2022 and Ukraine in 2025.
- Prohibit any transactions with Russia’s Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG 2 terminals, building on the current prohibition of future investments in, and exports of equipment and technology to LNG projects under construction in Russia.
The organisations also warn against replacing Russian LNG with fossil fuel imports from other autocratic regimes, or over-relying on volatile US LNG supplies. Instead, they call for greater investment in cheaper renewable energy and cost-saving energy efficiency measures to achieve genuine energy security.
Chiara Martinelli, Director at Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, said: “The EU cannot claim to phase out Russian gas while leaving the LNG loophole wide open. That’s why it must align the sanction packages with the Commission’s legislative proposal to ban Russian gas imports, and support a full LNG ban in the next sanctions package. But the lesson from Russia’s war goes further: Europe must not replace one dangerous fossil dependency with another and especially highly costly, methane-heavy, fracked US LNG. Fossil fuels everywhere bring suffering, wars and human rights violations, with devastating costs for societies, economies and the environment. The only reliable fossil gas is the gas we phase out. True peace and stability lie in accelerating renewables and energy efficiency, not doubling down on fossil fuel lock-ins.”
Iryna Shulikina, Executive Director at Vitche Germany, said: “Sanctions are working – russia’s war economy is visibly weakening. We must act now and not let a terrorist state find new ways to profit from its resources. russia is still exporting LNG. In India, russian resources are being refined and resold to Europe, keeping us dangerously tied to russian oil and gas. We must ban all russian LNG exports now – no loopholes, no delays.”
Steven Vanholme, Programme Manager at EKOenergy ecolabel, said: “Ukraine proves day after day that courage, persistence, cooperation, and determination make the seemingly impossible possible! The least Europe can do is to support Ukraine by cutting funding of Russia’s war with LNG gas purchases.”
Alex Cornell du Houx, President, Elected Officials to Protect the Earth (USA), said:
“Every drop of Russian LNG Europe buys is a weapon in Putin’s hands. The solution to the war is clear: shut the door on Moscow’s gas.”
Jaromír Němec, Member of Statutory Body at NESEHNUTI Brno, said: “We believe that Europe must stand united in cutting all remaining energy ties with Russia, as only together can we ensure our security and resilience. Czechia has made significant progress by ending its dependence on Russian fossil fuels, notably through the termination of the EU sanctions exemption on Russian crude oil imports in July. However, we cannot unilaterally halt imports of Russian LNG — this issue must be addressed at the EU level. Given that Russia poses a substantial threat to our security, the EU should impose sanctions on Russian LNG without further delay.”
Nezir Sinani, Executive Director at B4Ukraine, said: “Russia remains heavily reliant on EU markets for its LNG exports. Yet, three years into the invasion, Russian LNG supplies accounted for just 6% of the EU’s gas demand. This gives the EU significant leverage — making a full ban on Russian LNG not only feasible, but urgent as the next logical step in cutting off funding for Russia’s war machine.”
András Lukács, President, Clean Air Action Group, said: “The Commission and Member State governments should raise awareness about how citizens and companies can reduce their gas consumption within a short time and adopt related regulation (e.g. prescribing minimum and maximum temperatures in public buildings). This would help reduce overall use of gas and thus make it easier to get rid of Russian gas completely.”
The open letter comes ahead of the imminent release this week of a draft 19th Sanctions Package text and the subsequent Foreign Affairs Council on October 20 in Luxembourg, where EU ministers may finalise the 19th sanctions package.
ENDS
You can view the full open letter here
Razom We Stand is a Ukraine-based campaign group active internationally. It calls for a total and permanent embargo on Russian fossil fuels and an immediate end to all investment in Russian oil and gas companies by phasing out fossil fuels globally.
Svitlana Romanko has appeared in the top-tier international press, including Financial Times, Bloomberg, Politico, Der Spiegel, Le Monde, The Guardian, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Newsweek, The Hill, Rolling Stone, and more.
