Germany’s imports of Russian goods fell by 96.4% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2021, dropping to €500 million ($540 million) from €15 billion, according to data released by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, Destatis, and reported by Deutsche Welle.
This massive economic decoupling follows Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The subsequent halt of Russian pipeline gas deliveries to Germany and European Union bans on most Russian oil imports fundamentally severed traditional trade pipelines that once bound Western Europe’s industrial powerhouse to Russian raw materials.
Pharmaceuticals Dominate Remaining €3.4 Billion in Exports
Even as inbound trade collapsed, commercial channels did not vanish entirely. German exports to Russia reached €3.4 billion ($3.67 billion) during the first six months of 2026, according to Yahoo News. While this volume represents roughly one-quarter of the pre-invasion level recorded in 2021, outgoing shipments remain nearly seven times higher than the value of incoming goods from Russia.
Pharmaceutical products drove the bulk of these remaining outbound shipments, accounting for 42.4% of all German exports sent to Russia. Machinery, industrial equipment, food products, and animal feed also crossed the border in smaller quantities. Medicines and foodstuffs remain largely exempt from EU sanctions, preserving a narrow corridor of humanitarian and essential commercial trade.
Russian and German Corporate Presence Contracts Sharply
The wider bilateral relationship contracted across nearly every measurable sector. Destatis figures show the number of Russian-controlled companies operating in Germany dropped from 229 in 2021 to just 76 in 2024. These entities generated €8.4 billion in revenue in 2024, down sharply from €25.4 billion three years prior.
German businesses faced a parallel contraction inside Russia. Data from Germany’s central bank, the Bundesbank, shows that 290 German companies remained active in Russia in 2024 with annual revenues of roughly €13 billion, compared to 481 companies generating €38 billion in revenue in 2021.
Passenger transit experienced an even sharper collapse following the suspension of direct flights under EU sanctions. German airports recorded roughly 39,900 passengers traveling to Russia in the first half of 2026, a steep fall from the approximately 1 million passengers logged during the same period in 2019. Travelers journeying between the two nations now rely on connecting flights through third countries such as Turkey.
Macroeconomic Shifting Across the European Union
Germany’s bilateral retrenchment reflects a broader European trend. According to Destatis, the European Union as a whole cut its imports from Russia by 78% and exports by 65% between 2021 and 2024.
| Trade Metric (Germany-Russia) | Pre-Invasion (2021) | Recent Data (2024–2026) |
|---|---|---|
| German Imports from Russia | €15 billion (H1 2021) | €500 million (H1 2026) |
| Russian-Controlled Firms in Germany | 229 companies (2021) | 76 companies (2024) |
| German Companies Active in Russia | 481 companies (2021) | 290 companies (2024) |
In the first half of 2026, approximately 3,800 Russian citizens moved to Germany while roughly 4,400 departed. This marked a reversal from 2022, when arrivals outpaced departures as 12,700 Russian nationals moved to Germany against 3,400 exits.
