OREANDA-NEWS  In the near future, the trade turnover between Russia and the European Union is unlikely to reach zero values, according to Associate Professor of Economics at NUST MISIS Rafael Abdulov. He was quoted by Izvestia.

He recalled that EU countries such as Hungary, Slovenia, Greece, and Italy are unable to stop buying Russian gas, and they do not have alternative sources of this energy carrier. As for Belgium, France and the Netherlands, although they have abandoned pipeline gas, they have increased LNG imports.

However, in the long term, the trade turnover between the EU and Russia will decrease, as China gradually takes the place of the European Union.

In turn, Alexander Firanchuk, a leading researcher at the Center for International Trade Studies at the Presidential Academy, believes that a complete cessation of trade with the European Union is extremely unlikely. He believes that we should rather wait for a new equilibrium level of trade. Russia continues to receive poorly replaceable European goods. For example, the volume of import of medicines from the EU consistently amounts to about 10 billion dollars. And even if direct trade is cut off, supplies will continue through third countries.

Earlier it was reported that in April 2025 Germany reduced the exports of 5.3 percent when compared with March, and by 9.3 percent from April 2024. Russian imports to Germany decreased by 22.6 percent compared to March and by 50.3 percent compared to April 2024.