"The figure was calculated by the German Economic Institute in Cologne (IW). Before russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in the first quarter of 2021, imports amounted to €30.6 billion, and for the same period in 2022 – €63 billion due to the sharp rise in oil and gas prices", - reported the Telegram channel "DW Glavnoe" on September 18.
It is noted that now most EU countries have stopped purchasing raw materials from russia (exceptions – Hungary and Slovakia, as well as France and Spain), but gas and oil are still among the top five imported items. According to IW, the EU imported gas worth €4.4 billion in the first quarter. This is half of the same period in 2021. Oil imports fell by 93%, to €1.4 billion.
The EU imports roughly the same amount of russian fertilizers not subject to sanctions as before the full-scale war – about €550 million in the first quarter of 2025.
Cast iron and steel purchases amounted to €726 million, mainly imported by Italy, Belgium, and the Czech Republic. Nickel imports by the EU in the first quarter totaled €261 million.
Exports from the EU to russia in the first quarter amounted to €7.9 billion, mostly machinery and pharmaceuticals (for comparison, for the same period in 2021 it was €21.3 billion).
As reported, Trump stated he is ready to impose serious sanctions on russia if all NATO countries do the same and stop buying russian oil.