LONDON, August 30. /TASS/. The European Union countries plan to import record-high volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia despite Brussels’ stated intent to abandon Russian fossil fuels by 2027, the Financial Times newspaper reported, citing Global Witness data.

According to the latter organization’s data, Belgium and Spain ranked second and third, respectively, as buyers of Russian LNG after China over the first seven months of this year. Liquefied natural gas supplies from Russia to China surged by 62.7% in annual terms in the January-July period to reach 4.46 mln metric tons. In value terms, China’s imports of energy resources from Russia jumped 21.9% over the same period to more than $2.98 mln, the Main Customs Administration of China said.

Liquefied natural gas imports by the European Union surged by 40% within the January through July period of this year, compared to the like period in 2021, the newspaper reported.