Greece Resists EU Plan to Restrict Russian LNG Shipping Over Industry Fears

Greece is pushing back against a proposed European Union sanctions measure that would bar EU shipping from carrying Russian liquefied natural gas to third countries. The dispute comes as the European Commission works on a reconfigured 21st package of sanctions against Russia after the original proposal ran into objections from Greece and other member states last week. Athens says the plan would hit its shipping sector disproportionately.

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The row centres on Greece's role in the European fleet, which officials say accounts for about 60% of EU shipping capacity. Greek authorities argue that a ban on transporting Russian LNG would place an outsized burden on a sector that is one of the country's most important economic pillars. The source material also says the EU increased its own imports of Russian LNG by 11% in the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, underlining the tension between sanctions policy and energy dependence.

The issue matters because shipping and tourism together make up more than a quarter of Greece's economy, according to the supplied material. Any restriction that affects Greek-owned vessels could therefore have wider economic consequences beyond the sanctions debate itself. It also highlights the difficulty the EU faces in tightening pressure on Moscow while limiting damage to member states' commercial interests.

The dispute is unfolding against a security backdrop that Greek officials link to fears of Russian hybrid warfare. In May, a fisherman found a Ukrainian explosives-laden naval drone in an inlet on the island of Lefkada in the Ionian Sea. Ukraine has used such drones against tankers linked to Russia's shadow fleet, and a senior Greek government official said the discovery raised concerns about both a possible oil spill and the danger posed by high explosives near Greek territory.

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Greek officials say Ukraine has since promised to be more careful. Deputy Foreign Minister Haris Theoharis said there had been an assumption of responsibility and an apology from Ukraine's foreign ministry on behalf of the president, which helped reopen channels of communication. He also said Greece signed its first memorandum on assistance for Ukraine's reconstruction last month, and that the two sides are moving towards an intergovernmental agreement.

What happens next will depend on whether the European Commission can secure agreement on the revised sanctions package and whether Greece continues to press for changes. It is not yet clear how much support the shipping restriction has among other EU members or whether the proposal will be altered again. The broader test is whether the bloc can maintain pressure on Russia while avoiding fresh economic strain on countries with major maritime interests.

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