A recent analysis indicates that payments made to Russia for fossil fuels by Ukraine’s Western allies have surpassed the financial assistance provided to Ukraine itself. KYIV officials are urging governments in Europe and North America to intensify efforts aimed at preventing Russia from utilizing oil and gas revenues to fund its ongoing conflict.

The revenue generated from oil and gas sales is crucial for sustaining Russia’s military operations. These resources constitute approximately one-third of Russia’s state revenue and over 60% of its exports.

Following the invasion in February 2022,sanctions were imposed on Russian fossil fuels by Ukraine’s allies. The US and UK prohibited Russian oil and gas imports, while the European Union (EU) banned seaborne crude oil imports, but not gas. Nevertheless, data from the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reveals that Russia has accrued over €883 billion from fossil fuel exports since the invasion, including €228 billion from sanctioning countries. A significant portion, €209 billion, originated from EU member states.

While EU nations continued importing gas directly from Russia via pipelines until Ukraine ceased transit in January 2025, Russian crude oil continues to be transported via pipelines to Hungary and Slovakia. Russian gas