Spain announced its refusal from Russian energy resources despite long-term contracts

Spain will refuse supplies of Russian energy resources, despite the concluded long-term contracts.

Russia became the third supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Spain in the first seven months of 2026.

The EU Council approved a regulation on the phase-out of imports of Russian LNG and pipeline gas.

MOSCOW, September 23 – RIA Novosti. Spain will refuse supplies of Russian energy resources, despite the concluded long-term contracts, said the head of the Kingdom's Foreign Ministry, José Manuel Albarez, speaking at the Atlantic Council think tank*.

“Some Spanish companies have contracts for the supply of LNG that were concluded many years ago; these are long-term agreements. Such issues are not resolved at the last moment - we are talking about decades of cooperation. And, of course, we will comply with the new sanctions measures,” he said.

According to Alvarez, Spain has one of the largest LNG storage and processing capacities, which opens up opportunities for the rest of Europe.

“We can help with gas and LNG supplies from reliable partners, for example, from the United States,” the minister suggested.

Russia became the third supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Spain in the first seven months of 2026. According to energy company Enagas, from January to July, Spain imported 39,443 GWh of LNG from Russia, or 18.3 percent of the total volume of gas purchased. Algeria became the largest supplier.

The EU Council previously approved a regulation on the phase-out of imports of Russian LNG and pipeline gas. The ban on LNG imports under short-term contracts came into force on April 25, 2026, for long-term contracts it will take effect from January 1, 2027, and the ban on pipeline gas - from June 17, 2026 for short-term contracts and from November 1, 2027 for long-term contracts.

Russia previously stated that the West made a serious mistake by refusing to buy hydrocarbons from Russia - it would fall into a new, stronger dependence due to higher prices, and those who refused would still buy more expensive products through intermediaries and would continue to buy Russian oil and gas.