Netherlands spent €16 billion on Russia fossil fuels last year

The majority of imports from Russia last year were fossil fuels such as oil and gas, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). This category accounted for 87 percent of all goods that the Netherlands obtained from Russia.

The Netherlands also obtained metals such as nickel and copper from Russia. The total value of imports amounted to 18.4 billion euros. Imports almost doubled compared to 2020, which can be partly explained by more economic activity compared to the first year of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, last year's rising oil and gas prices also played an important role. The Netherlands was the sixth largest exporter of Russian goods in 2021.

Dutch exports to Russia amounted to 6.6 billion euros, of which 4.1 billion euros were made in the Netherlands. Medicine, road vehicles and flowers were among the most important flow of goods to the country. 

Re-exports –– the export of products previously imported into the Netherlands –– included electronic circuits, telephones and medicine. In terms of export size, the Netherlands was Russia's eighth largest trading partner.

Imports from Ukraine crossed the 2 billion euro limit for the first time last year. Dutch companies mainly import vegetable oils and fats, such as sunflower oil, and corn, from the country. Ukraine is the Netherlands’ most important supplier for this agricultural product.

Last year, exports to Ukraine amounted to 1.2 billion euros, only 0.2 percent of total Dutch exports. Pharmaceuticals, flowers and plants, cocoa, computers and mobile phones were the main categories, but together they accounted for no more than a third of the export value to the country. This indicates that a wide range of products are shipped from the Netherlands to Ukraine, according to Statistics Netherlands.