EU-Russia trade at lowest level since 2002 - Bloc reports trade surplus with Kremlin after more than 20 years
The volume of trade between the EU and Russia fell to its lowest level since 2002 in the second quarter of 2025. For the first time in more than 20 years, the European Union reported a trade surplus with the Kremlin.
Trade between the bloc and Moscow has plummeted since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The EU imposed many restrictive measures on imports and exports, causing a 61% drop in exports to Russia and an 89% contraction in imports from the Kremlin between the first quarter of 2022 and the second quarter of 2025.
According to Eurostat data, trade in the second quarter of 2025 fell to its lowest level since records began in 2002. In the same period, the EU recorded a small trade surplus with Russia of €0.5 billion, as exports to Russia fell to €7.5 billion, while imports were €7 billion. Total trade reached €14.5 billion.
This shows an 82% drop in trade volume compared to the first quarter of 2022, when the Russian invasion began and the value was 81.9 billion euros, the third highest level since records began.
The European Union, along with G7 countries and other partners, adopted a fourth package of sanctions on March 15, 2022, removing key trade benefits that Russia enjoyed as a member of the World Trade Organization. Instead of raising import tariffs, the bloc acted through sanctions, including bans and restrictions on imports and exports of certain goods.
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