Fri Oct 03 07:29:52 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Europe has significantly reduced its reliance on Russian energy since 2021, with gas imports dropping from 45% to 19% and oil from 27% to 3% by 2024. This shift is due to the Russia-Ukraine war and pressure from leaders like former U.S. President Trump to cut off funding to Russia. The EU is considering tariffs on Russian oil entering through Hungary and Slovakia, who are still dependent on the Druzhba pipeline. While the EU has diversified its energy sources, it still imports Russian fossil fuels, spending 1.15 billion euros in August alone, with Hungary, Slovakia, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium being the top buyers. Furthermore, imports of Russian gas fell from over 150 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2021 to less than 52 bcm in 2024, and imports from the United States and Norway increased. Despite decreases in some areas, imports of Russian fertilizers have increased. China is now the largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels, followed by India and Turkey.

**News Article:**

**Europe Drastically Cuts Reliance on Russian Energy, Considers Further Tariffs**

Brussels – Europe has made significant strides in weaning itself off Russian energy dependence since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war, according to recent figures. A new analysis reveals that Russian gas imports to the EU have plummeted from 45% in 2021 to just 19% in 2024, while oil imports have fallen even more dramatically from 27% to a mere 3%.

The reduction comes amidst intense pressure from international leaders, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has criticized European nations for funding the war in Ukraine through continued energy purchases.

“They’re funding the war against themselves. Who the hell ever heard of that one?” Trump said last week at the UN.

While the EU has diversified its energy sources, reliance continues. Al Jazeera reports that EU countries are still paying more than one billion euros ($1.35bn) to Russia each month for fossil fuels, with the five largest importers, including Hungary, Slovakia, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, accounting for 85% of the total. The European Commission is now reportedly preparing to introduce tariffs on Russian oil imports entering the EU through Hungary and Slovakia, countries that remain heavily reliant on the Druzhba pipeline due to their landlocked status and limited alternative import routes.

To combat lower energy imports, the EU has increased imports from other partners. Imports of Russian gas fell from over 150 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2021 to less than 52 bcm in 2024. This shortfall was largely offset by increased imports from other partners: US imports rose from 18.9 bcm in 2021 to 45.1 bcm in 2024, Norway from 79.5 bcm to 91.1 bcm, and other partners from 41.6 bcm to 45 bcm.

The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reports that the EU spent 1.15 billion euros ($1.35 billion) on Russian fossil fuels in August.

Meanwhile, the global energy landscape is shifting, with China emerging as the largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels, followed by India and Turkey.

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