Estonia to Expand Ban on Importing Russian Liquefied Gas from 2026
The Estonian government has decided to expand sanctions against Russian liquefied natural gas, tightening restrictions on its import. The relevant initiative was proposed by Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and received support from the Cabinet of Ministers on September 18.
This is reported by AgroReview
Expansion of Sanctions: New Restrictions from 2026
Currently, the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia is permitted in Estonia only if it is not used in the distribution network. However, once the new amendment comes into effect, the ban will also cover LNG that does not enter the distribution systems. Thus, the country’s government will implement a complete ban on the import of Russian liquefied gas.
“As soon as the (proposed – ed.) amendment comes into effect, the import ban will also extend to liquefied natural gas outside the distribution network,” he stated.
The Foreign Minister emphasized that such measures are a response to Russia’s aggressive policy, which continues its war against Ukraine and poses a threat to global security. He noted that Estonia aims to raise the cost of aggression for Russia and find effective methods to reduce the income of the aggressor country’s military budget.
Time for Market Preparation
The import ban will come into effect on January 1, 2026, allowing market participants to adapt to the new conditions and reorganize their activities according to the updated sanctions. Similar sanctions will also be applied to Belarusian liquefied natural gas.
According to the Estonian government, the volumes of Russian LNG imports remain insignificant, so the implemented restriction will not have a significant impact on the country’s economy or business environment.
It is worth noting that back in September 2022, Estonia introduced the first restrictions on the import and purchase of Russian liquefied gas, which also affected services related to the transmission and use of gas in national distribution networks.