Netherlands no longer dependent on Russian fuels, says energy minister

The Netherlands is no longer dependent on fossil fuels from Russia for energy generation, Minister Rob Jetten for Climate and Energy announced on Friday. The country no longer imports any oil or coal from Russia.

“Shortly after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, we set the goal to no longer fill the Russian war chest by limiting imports from Russia as much and as quickly as possible,” Jetten said. An estimated 60 percent of Russian state revenues came from fossil fuel exports. “We have worked hard all this time to find alternatives, to save energy, to accelerate sustainability, and to dampen the rise in energy prices where possible.”

The European Union’s latest package of sanctions, which took effect on Sunday, means that virtually no Russian oil products, crude oil, and coal can enter the member states. The Netherlands doesn’t have any extra work to do to comply with those sanctions. Almost a year after Russia invaded Ukraine, the only Russian fuel that still enters the Netherlands is a small amount of non-sanctioned liquified gas (LNG) that comes by ship.

The Netherlands has halved the percentage of LNG it gets from Russia from 30 percent in 2021 to 15 percent now, mainly by importing more from other sources. The Netherlands will continue to reduce this share while also working to meet the country’s gas needs, Jetten said. “For example, by facilitating more LNG imports from more diverse and stable regions, filling gas storages properly, organizing joint gas purchasing in Europe, and saving energy.”