France should include Russian liquefied natural gas among the energy products under European sanctions and stop its import, according to Bloomberg.
A French Senate committee recommends banning imports of Russian liquefied natural (LNG) gas as soon as possible.
The agency called this a bold suggestion, as France is the largest importer of Russian LNG in Europe this year, followed by Spain and Belgium.
The volume of fuel supplied to France from the Russian Federation this year is almost equal to the total for the whole of 2023 after a sharp drop in supplies from Qatar.
The committee is headed by opposition parties and it states that France should include Russian LNG in the list of energy products under European sanctions and stop importing Russian LNG as soon as possible.
Western countries want to impose sanctions on the Russian LNG sector
The import of liquefied natural gas is important for the Russian economy, as it allows for diversification of energy sources and energy security.
It also contributes to infrastructure development and job creation in the regions where LNG terminals are being built. If the West imposes sanctions on Russian LNG, it could lead to significant economic losses, lower exports, and reduced government revenues.
Additionally, it could force Russia to look for alternative markets and develop domestic gas consumption. Such sanctions could increase economic pressure on the country and complicate the implementation of energy projects.
As part of a new package of sanctions against Russia, the European Union wants to ban the transshipment of Russian LNG in European ports.