Three years after the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western nations continue to maintain significant levels of trade with Moscow. Billions of euros and dollars in energy and commodity imports, ranging from liquefied natural gas to uranium, still flow into the US and European Union, while India has rapidly expanded its purchases of Russian crude oil.

India recently criticized what it described as Western inconsistencies, after US President Donald Trump renewed threats over its rising reliance on Russian energy.

Europe’s Reduced but Ongoing Imports

Trade between the EU and Russia has sharply contracted due to sanctions and restrictions, with imports dropping by 86% between early 2022 and early 2025, Eurostat data shows. Goods imported from Russia totaled €8.74 billion ($10.11 billion) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to €30.58 billion during the same period in 2021. Since sanctions began, the EU has still accumulated €297 billion in imports.

While crude oil purchases have nearly disappeared, other commodities such as nickel, fertilizer, iron, and natural gas continue to enter Europe.

• Oil: Russia’s share of EU petroleum imports dropped from nearly 29% in 2021 to just 2% in 2025, with the value of imports falling from €14.06 billion to €1.48 billion.

• Natural Gas: Around 17% of European gas supplies still come from Russia, mainly through the TurkStream pipeline and LNG shipments, down from 48% in 2021.

• Iron and Steel: Russia’s contribution to EU imports in this sector fell to 7.7% in 2025 from over 18% four years earlier.

• Fertilizers: Russia remains the EU’s largest supplier, accounting for about a quarter of fertilizer imports, though tariffs recently approved by the European Parliament aim to curb this dependence.

India’s Surging Energy Trade with Moscow

India’s trade relationship with Russia has expanded dramatically. Imports rose from $8.25 billion in 2021 to $65.7 billion in 2024, according to the Indian Commerce Ministry.

• Crude Oil: The single biggest factor, with imports soaring from $2.3 billion in 2021 to $52.2 billion in 2024.

• Coal: Purchases climbed to $3.5 billion, more than tripling from four years earlier.

• Fertilizers: Imports also grew substantially, reaching $1.67 billion in 2024 compared to $483 million in 2021.

US Imports See a Steep Decline

US purchases from Russia have also contracted, dropping to $2.5 billion in the first half of 2025 from $14.1 billion during the same period in 2021, according to trade data. Since 2022, however, the US has still imported $24.5 billion in Russian goods.

• Fertilizers: Purchases increased modestly, with imports valued at $1.27 billion in 2024 compared to $1.14 billion in 2021.

• Uranium and Plutonium: Imports of enriched nuclear materials totaled $624 million in 2024, only slightly down from 2021 levels.

• Palladium: Shipments fell to $878 million in 2024, down from $1.59 billion in 2021.