Ireland the only country in the EU to raise its gas consumption

The EU spent an estimated €75bn on gas imports in the second three months of this year, of which €23bn went on Russian gas imports. File picture

Ireland was the only EU country to increase its gas consumption in the second quarter of this year, as reports from the European Commission decry Russia's "weaponisation" of its exports.

Russian geopolitical tactics had a clear impact on pushing up gas prices in the second quarter of 2022, with a knock-on effect on the whole EU energy sector, the Commission said.