According to Sina Finance, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis said the European Union may need to reduce winter gas demand by 7% year over year. Low storage levels and the bloc's ban on Russian liquefied natural gas imports from January next year are adding pressure, and the institute estimated that covering the storage gap with extra gas imports would cost 3 billion euros. It said that reliance on storage facilities has become a major financial burden for Europe. Eurostat data showed that the share of winter gas demand met by storage rose from 25% in 2021-22 to 30% in 2025-26, after reaching a five-year high of 33% in 2024-25.