Taiwan becomes largest importer of Russian naptha in 2025, pays over $1.3 billion to Moscow amid US tariff war on countries buying from Russia: How energy needs ‘Trump’ everything else

Taiwan, one of the world’s leading semiconductor hubs and a vocal supporter of Ukraine in its war against Russia, has quietly emerged as the largest global importer of Russian naphtha, a petroleum derivative essential for manufacturing chemicals used in chips and electronics. 

This development has raised eyebrows internationally, given that Taiwan has officially joined Western sanctions against Moscow and imposed export controls on hi-tech goods to prevent their use in Russia’s military.

According to a report released on Wednesday (1st October) by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Taiwan imported $1.3 billion worth of Russian naphtha in the first half of 2025 alone. Its average monthly imports were nearly six times higher than the 2022 average. Compared to the same period last year, Taiwan’s naphtha imports rose by 44%, indicating that demand has only accelerated despite global calls to reduce energy trade with Russia.

Taiwan became the largest importer of Russian oil in 2025

They purchased oil worth $1.3 billion, increasing the average monthly import volume sixfold compared to 2022.

Taiwan has spent $11.2 billion on Russian fuel since 2022, which is 220 times more than its aid to Ukraine pic.twitter.com/hAtnaNsy0q

— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) October 3, 2025

As per reports, Taiwan alone has bought fossil fuel products worth over $11 billion from Moscow since 2022. Just like Western powers, who condemn India for buying Russian oil while buying Russian energy themselves, Taiwan has been maintaining the theatrics of political statements supporting Ukraine and condemning Russia, while prioritising its own need for cheap petroleum products.

How Taiwan became Russia’s top buyer

Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Taiwan has repeatedly expressed support for Kyiv, both politically and symbolically. Earlier this week, Taiwan’s foreign minister Lin Chia-lung even signed an agreement in Poland to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukrainian children affected by the war.

Yet, behind the scenes, the island’s petrochemical industry continues to rely heavily on Russian energy. Data from CREA shows that since 2022, Taiwan has imported 6.8 million tonnes of Russian naphtha worth $4.9 billion, accounting for nearly 20% of Russia’s total naphtha exports.

In a statement on Thursday, 2nd October, Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs said state-owned enterprises had stopped sourcing crude oil from Russia in 2023. Taiwan has also stopped exporting key high-tech products to Russia, the ministry added.

“As international sanctions continue to expand, the ministry will further review relevant control measures and engage with domestic companies on compliance, while continuing to work with international partners to demonstrate its firm resolve to oppose aggression and uphold the international order,” it said.

Experts say that the reason lies in Taiwan’s heavy dependence on imported energy. Nearly 97% of Taiwan’s total energy comes from abroad, making it one of the most energy-dependent economies in Asia. This dependence is also seen as a strategic weakness, especially in the event of a military conflict with China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory.

Top importing nations of Russian energy in 2025

While Taiwan dominates in naphtha purchases, other countries continue to be major buyers of Russian fossil fuels, highlighting that despite sanctions, Russia’s energy exports remain highly concentrated among a few key customers.

Between December 2022 and August 2025, China was by far the largest global buyer of Russian energy, purchasing 44% of Russia’s coal and 47% of its crude oil exports. India stood second, buying 20% of coal and 38% of crude oil. Turkey accounted for 11% of coal and 6% of crude oil, while South Korea and Taiwan rounded off the top five in coal imports with 10% and 4%, respectively.

When it comes to refined oil products, Turkey is the biggest customer, accounting for 26% of Russia’s exports, followed by China (13%), Brazil (12%), and Singapore (7%). In liquefied natural gas (LNG), the European Union (EU) leads the list with 50%, followed by China (21%) and Japan (18%). For pipeline gas, the EU again tops with 35%, followed by China (30%) and Turkey (28%).

In terms of overall trade value, China remained the top global buyer of Russian fossil fuels till August 2025, accounting for 40% of Russia’s total export revenues from its five largest customers. It imported about EUR 5.7 billion worth of energy, most of it crude oil (58%), followed by coal, gas, and oil products. India ranked second, buying EUR 3.6 billion worth, dominated by crude oil. Turkey, the EU, and South Korea followed next on the list.

This data clearly shows that while the West has imposed sanctions, many major economies, including those critical of Moscow, continue to rely on Russian energy to meet domestic needs.

What this also demonstrates is that economic and material realities are very different from lofty ideals of morality and sanctimony displayed by Western nations over the Russia-Ukraine war. While nations like India and China have been honest in admitting that they have to prioritise their own national needs over Western expectations and theatrics of condemnation, the Western nations have not done so. In a display of shameless hypocrisy, they have been paying billions of dollars to Russia while also sending weapons and money to Ukraine, essentially perpetuating the war from both sides.

Trump and G7 turn up pressure on Russian oil buyers

The growing energy trade between Russia and non-Western nations has not gone unnoticed in Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump and G7 finance ministers recently held a virtual meeting to coordinate steps aimed at “tightening pressure on Russia’s economy.”

The G7 nations issued a joint statement on Wednesday (1st October) saying they would take measures to target “countries that continue to increase their purchases of Russian oil and those that facilitate circumvention” of sanctions. The statement also mentioned the possibility of using tariffs, trade bans, and import restrictions to limit Moscow’s revenues.

While the statement did not name any specific country, India and China are widely seen as the main targets.

In line with this, Washington has already started imposing trade penalties. Trump’s administration has slapped a 25% tariff on Indian imports for purchasing Russian oil, in addition to the 25% general import tariff already in place, effectively doubling duties to 50% in August. The move has strained US-India trade relations and put ongoing negotiations for a free trade agreement on hold.

Statement by Official Spokesperson
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