For the first time since Moscow initiated a full-scale attack on Ukraine over two years ago, the European Commission is poised to propose a ban on the resale of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in EU ports. However, the effectiveness of these sanctions is questioned, as they are expected to impact only a third of Russia's income in this sector and a fraction of its exports to the EU.

The proposed measures will also include restrictions on three future Russian LNG projects as part of the 14th package of Brussels sanctions. Without access to European ports for transshipment, Russia would be forced to rely on scarce icebreakers to transport LNG to Asia, resulting in a significant revenue loss.

However, critics argue that potential sanctions against Russian LNG projects are toothless, as none of them currently ship to Europe. The European Commission has faced resistance to LNG sanctions in the past, but pressure is mounting to tighten sanctions on Russian fossil fuels, given the diminishing effectiveness of existing measures.

Despite the urgency, unanimity among all 27 EU member states is required to pass new LNG sanctions, making it susceptible to vetoes. Hungary, in particular, has a history of blocking restrictions on Russian gas. Therefore, securing support from all EU capitals remains a challenge for Brussels.