Finance

Russia's pipeline gas exports to Europe jump 22% year-on-year in March amid Mideast crunch

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on April 1, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: April 1, 2026

Add as preferred source on Google
Russia's pipeline gas exports to Europe jump 22% year-on-year in March amid Mideast crunch
Global Banking & Finance Awards 2026 — Call for Entries

MOSCOW, April 1 (Reuters) - Russian energy giant Gazprom's average daily natural gas supplies to Europe via the TurkStream undersea pipeline rose 22% from a year earlier to 55 million cubic metres in

Russia’s Pipeline Gas Exports to Europe Surge 22% in March During Mideast Tensions

Overview of Russian Gas Exports to Europe

March Export Figures and Key Routes

MOSCOW, April 1 (Reuters) - Russian energy giant Gazprom's average daily natural gas supplies to Europe via the TurkStream undersea pipeline rose 22% from a year earlier to 55 million cubic metres in March, Reuters calculations showed on Wednesday.

Supplies increased as the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries around 20% of global crude, ​products and liquefied natural gas, was effectively closed to most shipping due to the Iran war, leaving energy markets dangerously exposed.

Turkey as the Sole Transit Route

Turkey is now the only transit route for Russian gas to Europe after Ukraine chose not to extend a five-year deal with Moscow that expired in January 2025.

Statistical Breakdown

Calculations based on data from European gas transmission group Entsog showed total Russian gas supplies to Europe via TurkStream stood at 1.7 billion cubic metres last month, up from 1.4 bcm in March 2025.

Supplies were broadly steady from February.

For the first three months of the year, exports increased 11% year on year to around 5 bcm.

Historical Context and Company Response

Gazprom's Export Trends

Gazprom, which has not published its own monthly statistics since the start of 2023, did not respond to a request for comment.

The company's gas exports to Europe fell 44% last year to just 18 bcm, the lowest since the mid-1970s, following the closure of the Ukrainian route, according to Reuters calculations. 

Peak Export Years

Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe peaked at around 180 bcm per year in 2018-2019.

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by Reporting by Oksana Kobzeva. Writing by Vladimir Soldatkin. Editing by Mark Potter)

Key Takeaways

  • Gazprom’s TurkStream exports jumped 22% year-on-year in March to 55 m m³/day (1.7 billion m³ total) amid global energy supply strains (iene.eu)
  • The Strait of Hormuz closure due to the Iran war heightened dependence on TurkStream as the only remaining pipeline route after Ukraine ended transit in January 2025 (lemonde.fr)
  • Despite the monthly rise, overall Russian pipeline exports to Europe remain near historic lows—about 18 billion m³ in 2025, the lowest since the mid‑1970s (themoscowtimes.com)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe increase in March?
Gazprom's average daily natural gas supplies to Europe via the TurkStream pipeline rose 22% year-on-year to 55 million cubic metres in March.
What impacted gas exports from Russia to Europe in March?
Exports increased due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz caused by the Iran war, limiting global energy supply routes.
Which pipeline is used for Russian gas exports to Europe after Ukraine deal ended?
After Ukraine chose not to extend its deal with Moscow, the TurkStream pipeline through Turkey became the only transit route for Russian gas to Europe.
How did Russian gas exports to Europe in Q1 compare to the previous year?
For the first three months of the year, Russian gas exports to Europe increased by 11% year-on-year to around 5 billion cubic metres.
What was the historical peak of Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe?
Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe peaked at around 180 billion cubic metres per year in 2018–2019.

Tags

Related Articles

More from Finance

Explore more articles in the Finance category