Trade between the EU and Russia has fallen to a historic low

At the end of 2025, trade turnover between the European Union and Russia reached its lowest level in the history of observations.

This is reported by the SZRU.

Compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, mutual trade decreased by 5.4 times, or by 81.5%. EU exports to the Russian Federation decreased by 61%, while imports from Russia fell by 90%.

Russia’s share in the structure of external supplies to the European Union has decreased from 3.2% to 1.2%, and in imports – from 9.2% to 1%. Thus, Russia has effectively lost the status of one of the EU’s key trading partners.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, the European Union recorded a trade surplus with Russia of €1.5 billion. In comparison, in the second quarter of 2022, the deficit in energy alone reached €42.7 billion. By the end of 2025, this figure had decreased to €3.3 billion due to the oil embargo, reduced Russian gas supplies, and lower energy prices.

Currently, trade is maintained only in a limited list of items. Russia imports pharmaceutical products, certain types of engineering products and plastics from the EU – goods that fall under humanitarian exceptions or are not yet included in the sanctions lists.

Reduced access to European technology, investment, and financial infrastructure narrows the opportunities for modernization of the Russian economy. Reorientation to alternative markets does not compensate for the loss of the European direction either in terms of capital volume or quality of partnerships.

For Ukraine, the severance of economic ties between the EU and the Russian Federation remains an important element of sanctions pressure, which limits the aggressor’s financial resources to continue the war.

It was previously reported thatthe European Union is considering new restrictions on the transportation of Russian oil by sea, which could significantly affect the financing of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Recall that the Kremlin is trying to use economic and strategic topics not directly related to the war to persuade the administration of US President Donald Trump to make concessions to Russia on the issue of Ukraine.