What Do the USA and Europe Still Buy from Russia in 2025? A Deep Dive into Global Trade Reality
How indirectly USA and Europe is fundung Russia, in a world reshaped by war, sanctions, and shifting alliances, you’d expect trade between the West and Russia to vanish completely, right? Not quite.
Despite fierce political rhetoric and sweeping sanctions since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both the United States and European Union continue to engage in billions of dollars of trade with Moscow. And the products they import? Not what you’d expect from supposed adversaries.
This article explores the surprising facts about how much business the USA and Europe still do with Russia, including a detailed product-wise breakdown of imports. Buckle up—because reality is a lot more nuanced than the headlines suggest.
The Big Picture: U.S. and EU Trade with Russia
Trade between Russia and Western nations hasn’t stopped—it’s just evolved.
Total Trade Volumes in 2024–2025:
- USA: $3.5 billion in total goods trade with Russia in 2024, including $3.0 billion in imports.
- EU: A massive €67.5 billion (~$70 billion) in trade with Russia, with €35.9 billion in imports.
Even in 2025, the West isn’t cutting ties completely—it’s being selective. While imports of Russian energy, machinery, and metals have declined, other essential goods continue to flow.
🇺🇸 What the U.S. Still Buys from Russia
The U.S. has slashed its trade with Russia since 2022—but it hasn’t shut the door completely.
1. Enriched Uranium: Powering American Reactors
You might be shocked to learn that Russia supplies over 20% of the enriched uranium used in U.S. nuclear reactors. In early 2025, the U.S. imported $596 million worth of enriched uranium—making it the largest single Russian export to America.
Why not replace it? It’s not that simple. Uranium enrichment is a specialized process that only a handful of countries perform at scale—and Russia leads the pack.
2. Palladium: The Unsung Hero of Your Car
Need to keep your car emissions low? You’ll need palladium, a rare metal used in catalytic converters. The U.S. imported $502 million worth of it from Russia in 2025 alone.
No substitute exists in the short term. Automakers depend heavily on this shiny metal—and Russia happens to be the world’s top producer.
3. Fertilizers: Feeding American Farms
Russia is also a major fertilizer exporter. Even as war rages, U.S. imports hit $1.27 billion in 2024. Why? American agriculture depends on it—cutting off the supply would risk food price spikes.
4. Miscellaneous Goods: Electronics & Chemicals
Surprisingly, some vacuum tubes, specialty chemicals, and rare electronics still find their way into the U.S. market from Russian factories.
🇪🇺 What the EU Still Buys from Russia
The EU was always more economically entangled with Russia—especially in energy. But the war changed that… kind of.
A. Fossil Fuels: The Not-So-Distant Past
While much of Europe cut down its reliance, Russia still supplied over €1.48 billion worth of oil to the EU in early 2025. Compare that to €14 billion in Q1 2021, and you’ll see the scale of reduction—but not elimination.
Gas is another story. Russian pipeline gas fell sharply, but LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) purchases still continue, albeit through complex re-routing via third countries.
B. Chemicals: A Two-Way Street
Russia sold €2.8 billion in chemicals to the EU in 2024. But Europe exported €13.7 billion back. Some of these include industrial solvents, medical products, and chemical feedstock essential for manufacturing.
C. Metals & Machinery: Still Flowing
- Iron and Steel imports hit €2.6 billion.
- Machinery and transport equipment, while reduced, still see ~€4.1 billion in two-way trade.
Russia’s metallurgical sector remains globally competitive—and cutting it off has proved harder than expected.
D. Agriculture and Food
Imports of Russian grain, seafood, and fertilizers still persist. In total, €5 billion of food and agricultural goods changed hands between the EU and Russia in 2024.
E. Services Sector: Quiet But Significant
The EU and Russia traded €17.2 billion in services in 2023:
- EU imported €4.9 billion
- EU exported €12.3 billion
Think aviation tech, consulting, maritime services, and IT—many of which are hard to replace overnight.
Summary Table: Who Buys What From Russia?
| Country/Region | Key Imports from Russia | Annual Import Value (2024–2025) |
|---|---|---|
| USA | Enriched uranium, palladium, fertilizers, chemicals | ~$3.0 billion |
| EU | Oil, natural gas, chemicals, metals, machinery, food | ~€35.9 billion |
Why It Still Happens: The Hidden Realities
You might wonder—why keep trading at all? Isn’t that funding Russia’s war machine?
Well, it’s complicated.
- Strategic Commodities: Some Russian exports (uranium, palladium, fertilizers) are hard to replace in the short term.
- Supply Chain Complexity: Global trade doesn’t stop overnight. Businesses need time to adapt.
- Selective Sanctions: Many sanctions include exemptions—for humanitarian reasons, critical goods, or lack of alternatives.
The truth is, while public discourse pushes for full decoupling, behind the scenes, governments are making pragmatic exceptions.
Final Thoughts: Trade vs. Politics
Let’s not kid ourselves. The West has made major progress in reducing dependence on Russia—but it hasn’t gone all the way. Strategic needs, energy security, and food production keep some doors open.
And guess what? Russia still needs the West, too. Despite sanctions, it still depends on European tech, tools, and trade routes.
So if you’re expecting a clean break between Russia and the West, you’re in for a surprise. The world just isn’t that simple.
❓FAQs
1. Why does the U.S. still import uranium from Russia?
Because Russia leads global uranium enrichment, and the U.S. nuclear industry heavily depends on it.
2. Has Europe stopped buying Russian gas?
Not entirely. Pipeline imports have dropped, but LNG purchases and some gas flows continue.
3. What products make up most of Russia’s exports to the EU?
Energy (oil, gas), chemicals, metals, and food products like grains and fertilizers.
4. Do sanctions not cover these goods?
Some goods are exempted due to their strategic importance, or they’re rerouted through third-party nations.
5. Is this trade legal?
Most of it is—though heavily regulated and scrutinized. Loopholes and legal exemptions make it possible.
