Russian gas exports to Europe fell by 44%: the lowest volume since 1973

Russian Federation gas exports to Europe

According to Главком: Gas exports from the Russian Federation to Europe decreased by 44% in 2025, to 18 billion cubic meters. This is the lowest supply level since 1973. In the same year, Europe received only 6.8 billion cubic meters of gas from Siberian fields. After that, by 1975, export volumes increased to 19.3 billion cubic meters, and by 1980 reached 54.8 billion cubic meters. In the early 1990s, exports rose to 110 billion cubic meters, and Gazprom's supply record was set in 2018-2019, when 170-180 billion cubic meters were pumped.

Reorientation to the Chinese market

Amid decreasing supplies to Europe, China became the largest market for Russia. Beijing purchases gas at a significant discount of about 40%, at a price of $248 per thousand cubic meters. This year, China purchased 38.8 billion cubic meters of gas via the 'Power of Siberia' pipeline. Total Gazprom exports to countries outside the CIS in 2025 will be 78 billion cubic meters, which is 3 billion cubic meters less than the previous year. Thus, changes in market conditions have significantly affected Russian gas export volumes, reflecting new challenges for the country's energy sector.

The decrease in gas exports to Europe and reorientation to the Chinese market indicate significant changes in global energy policy. This may also have long-term consequences for the Russian economy, as dependence on a single market could make the country vulnerable to demand and price fluctuations. Furthermore, the situation emphasizes the need for Russia to seek new markets and opportunities to diversify its energy supplies, considering that traditional markets in Europe are losing importance due to political and economic factors.