Germany-Russia trade plummets in nearly 5 years of Ukraine war

The economic links between Germany and Russia have weakened significantly since the start of the war in Ukraine, with trade volume dropping sharply and passenger traffic also hit, according to fresh German government data.

Trade has almost ground to a halt, with German imports from Russia falling by 96.4% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2021, before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Federal Statistical Office reported on Wednesday.

The value of imports fell to just 500 million euros ($561 million) from 15 billion euros, largely due to the loss of Russian oil and gas supplies. Remaining imports consisted mainly of food and animal feed, metals and chemical products.

German exports to Russia also fell sharply, with companies shipping goods worth 3.4 billion euros in the first six months of 2026, around a quarter of the value recorded in the same period in 2021.

Pharmaceutical products accounted for 42.4% of exports, while machinery, food and animal feed continued to be exported in smaller quantities, the German statisticians said.

The number of Russian-controlled companies operating in Germany fell from 229 in 2021 to just 76 in 2024, according to the statistical office.

These companies generated revenue of 8.4 billion euros in 2024, down from 25.4 billion euros three years earlier. They accounted for just 0.2% of all foreign-controlled companies in Germany.

The number of German companies operating in Russia also declined significantly.

According to Germany’s central bank, the Bundesbank, 290 German companies were still active in Russia in 2024, generating annual revenue of around 13 billion euros. That compared with 481 companies and 38 billion euros in revenue in 2021.

Passenger traffic between Germany and Russia has also collapsed following the suspension of direct flights under EU sanctions.

Around 39,900 passengers travelling to Russia were recorded at German airports in the first half of 2026, compared with approximately 1 million in the first half of 2019.

Those still travelling to Russia had to take connecting flights through third countries such as Türkiye.

Migration from Russia to Germany has also declined since the start of the war.

In the first half of 2026, around 3,800 Russian citizens moved to Germany, while approximately 4,400 left the country.

By contrast, in 2022, when the war began, arrivals significantly outnumbered departures, with 12,700 Russian citizens moving to Germany and 3,400 leaving.

The number of Russian students enrolled at German universities has also fallen sharply, nearly halving from its 2014 peak to around 1,700.

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