A German state-owned company continues to buy Russian gas despite sanctions

Despite the tense geopolitical situation and the war in Ukraine, the German state energy structure SEFE (renamed after the nationalization of the former Gazprom subsidiary) continues its commercial relations with Russian suppliers.

According to an investigation by German television SWR, the company has contracted around 50 cargo shipments of liquefied natural gas from Novatek for 2025. The deal has an impressive financial volume - approximately 2 billion euros.

The gas tankers will transport the raw material from the Arctic port of Sabetta, passing through European terminals in France, Belgium, and Spain. After regasification, the fuel will be directly supplied to the European Union's gas distribution system.

Such a trade move has sparked sharp criticism from opposition circles. Parliamentarian Christian Görke from The Left described the import as "plague and cholera" that de facto finance the Russian military-industrial complex.

The European Commission has meanwhile developed an ambitious plan to completely cease Russian gas supplies by the end of 2027. In parallel, sanctions were introduced in 2024 limiting the transit of Russian liquefied gas through European territory.

The current situation raises serious questions about the consistency of Germany's and the EU's energy policy in the context of the ongoing international crisis.