EU achieves positive trade balance with Russia for first time since 2002

For the first time in history, imports of European goods into Russia have exceeded Russian exports to the European Union, with Russia’s trade balance posting a deficit of 0.5 bln euro over the first nine months of 2025, according to Eurostat.

"In Q3 2025, EU imports to Russia decreased more than exports, growing the trade surplus to €1.5 billion. The EU recorded a positive trade balance with Russia for the second consecutive quarter, an unprecedented development in the entire time series since 2002," Eurostat said.

The EU has imposed various import and export restrictions on several products resulting in a 61% decline in exports to Russia and an 89% drop in imports from Russia between Q1 2022 and Q3 2025.

Exports of Russian goods to the EU amounted to 21.7 bln euro, while imports of goods from the EU into Russia totaled 22.2 bln euro, Eurostat reported.

Overall, trade between the European Union and Russia from January through September 2025 reached 43.9 bln euro, which is 12.9% lower than in the same period last year, according to the agency’s data.