EU buys record amount of gas from Russia’s flagship plant
Europe purchased almost all the LNG produced by the Yamal facility in the first half of 2026 ahead of import ban
Source: Financial Times
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DW NOTE
Europe spent half a year buying record volumes from the facility it plans to ban, then scheduled the ban to start after. Yamal LNG shipped west while Brussels drafted sanctions with an implementation date chosen for theatrical rather than strategic effect. When your energy security depends on the supplier you're about to prohibit, the prohibition is performance.