Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Russian agency: Russia will conduct a nuclear test if the US does
Al-Nakhalah: We are the rightful owners, and we must fight to retrieve our rights
Al-Nakhalah: The enemy and its allies must know that we can never surrender to their terms and diktats after all the sacrifices made
Al-Nakhalah: The prisoner exchange clause can be completed in the next few days, and thus we will have pulled the [explosion] fuse and removed the enemy's justifications for aggression
Al-Nakhalah: The Resistance has expressed its willingness to negotiate on the basis that there are items that can be dealt with positively, the first of which is the prisoner exchange item
Al-Nakhalah: Trump's plan entails the Palestinian people's declaration of complete surrender to the enemy
PIJ Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, in an address aired on Al Mayadeen: The Resistance is engaging in a fierce negotiating battle under the so-called Trump plan
Russian Federation Council approves joint military cooperation agreement with Cuba
Al-Nunu: Today, the lists of prisoners required to be released, the agreed-upon criteria and numbers, were exchanged
Al-Nunu from Sharm el-Sheikh: Negotiations focused on mechanisms for implementing an end to the war, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and the exchange of prisoners

EU still largest importer of Russian oil despite sanctions: Report

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 19 Apr 2023 14:25
  • 2 Shares
3 Min Read

New data shows that due to a loophole in sanctions, the EU is still the largest importer of Russian fossil fuel energy.

  • x
  • EU still largest importer of Russian oil
    The logo of Lukoil at a gas station in Saint Petersburg, Russia on May 25, 2022. (Reuters)

According to recent data, the European Union remains the top importer of Russian fossil fuel energy, despite the EU leading in the implementation of the most stringent sanctions against Moscow.

The EU is the greatest importer since it continues to acquire a record volume of crude products from Russia's primary customers.

The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) identified what it called five "laundromat" nations that sell Russian crude to the EU, which are China, India, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore.

To crack down on Russian crude oil and oil products, the EU, Group of Seven (G7) nations, and Australia have joined the US in implementing some of the harshest anti-Russia sanctions, including a ban on most oil exports to Europe and a price cap on Russian crude.

Another set of sanctions, in which the EU embargoed refined items like diesel and gasoline, went into force in February of this year.

However, these imports have expanded "by leaps and bounds" from "laundromat" nations, who have all become the leading importers of Russian crude since the start of the war, the research explained.

Read more: EU price cap on Russian oil creating chaos in maritime transport

Related News

Russian economy grows 1% in January–August, inflation at 8%

Fuel shortages push Russia to mull further export restrictions

The report highlighted that the EU, G7 nations, and Australia have imported a total of €42 billion (£37 billion) in oil products from "laundromat" countries in the year after the start of the Ukraine war.

It noted that the EU's oil imports totaled €7.7 billion (£6.7 billion) in the year following the war, placing it at the top of Russian oil importers

According to Lauri Myllyvirta, co-author of the paper and co-founder and principal analyst at CREA, the imports mitigate the impact of the sanctions on Russia.

Myllyvirta pointed out that “increasing the imports of oil products from the main importers of Russian crude oil undermines the oil sanctions against Russia."

He told The Independent that the EU and G7 have "failed to lower the price cap to a level that would truly deny Russia excess profits from oil exports," noting that the situation highlights the dependency on oil and the lack of action to reduce oil demand by the EU and G7.

Imports of Russian crude oil by the five Asian and Middle Eastern nations increased by more than 140% in volume compared to the year before the conflict, with the total value of imports increasing to €74.8 billion (£66 billion).

According to the research, the oil-sanctioning nations were responsible for the great bulk of the growth in "laundromat" countries' oil exports during the war. Their exports to the West had surged by 80% in value and 26% in volume.

The price-cap alliance nations raised their imports of refined oil from China by 93%, India by 2%, Turkey by 43%, the UAE by 23%, and Singapore by 33%.

  • Moscow
  • Europe
  • Russia
  • Sanctions on Russia
  • EU
  • Fossil Fuels
  • European Union
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
ap

'Israel' pays influencers $7K per post to whitewash Gaza genocide

  • Politics
  • 1 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Retired Israeli General Brik says Israel has reached point of no return.
Politics

Retired Israeli General Brik: 'Israel has reached point of no return'

Depleted by foreign wars, US seeks to re-arm for another confrontation
Politics

Depleted by foreign wars, US seeks to re-arm for another confrontation

Gaza’s newborns gasp for life as hospitals collapse amid Israeli war
Health

Gaza newborns gasp for life, share oxygen masks amid collapsed system

UK arms exports to 'Israel' reach record high despite ban calls
Politics

UK arms exports to 'Israel' reach record high despite ban calls

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS