Since taking office, Spain’s President Pedro Sánchez has significantly increased Russian gas imports by a staggering 641%, despite the ongoing war in Ukraine and international sanctions.
When Sánchez assumed leadership, Spain imported 9,716 GWh of Russian gas, making up just 2.5% of the total. By 2024, that number surged to 72,360 GWh, now accounting for 21% of the nation’s total gas imports.
This shift has propelled Russia from being Spain’s seventh-largest gas supplier to the second, just behind Algeria. The move has sparked tensions with both European allies and the United States. In January 2025, Washington accused Spain of bypassing sanctions, pointing out that some Russian gas imports were coming from sanctioned infrastructure. Meanwhile, Spain has faced criticism within Europe, with countries like Italy moving to fully cut ties with Russian gas by April 2024.
Despite presenting himself as a strong critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Sánchez has taken no action to restrict Russian gas imports, even though his government holds the authority to impose such measures. Instead, Sánchez has continued to support the Russian gas industry, indirectly funding Putin’s regime.
