The EU agrees to ban Russian gas imports by 2027, targeting pipeline and LNG contracts to cut off funds for Moscow’s war effort
BRUSSELS: The European Union has agreed to ban all imports of Russian gas by autumn 2027.
Lawmakers and member states reached the overnight deal to choke off key funds feeding Moscow’s war chest following its invasion of Ukraine.
The accord aims to break an energy dependency the bloc has struggled to end.
EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said Europe was turning off the tap on Russian gas forever.
“We’ve chosen energy security and independence for Europe,” he wrote on social media.
Under the deal, long-term pipeline contracts will be banned from September 30, 2027, provided storage levels are sufficient.
For liquefied natural gas, long-term contracts will be prohibited from January 1, 2027.
Short-term contracts will be phased out earlier, from April 2026 for LNG and June 2026 for pipeline gas.
A European Council statement said the move aims to end dependency following Russia’s weaponisation of gas supplies.
The timeline must still get final approval from the European Parliament and member states.
European companies will be able to invoke “force majeure” to legally justify breaking existing contracts.
The deal also calls for a plan to end Russian oil imports to Hungary and Slovakia by the end of 2027.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban vowed last month to keep importing Russian hydrocarbons.
The share of Russian gas in EU imports has fallen from 45% in 2021 to 19% in 2024.
While Europe has slashed pipeline deliveries, it has partly turned to Russian LNG shipped by sea.
Russia accounted for 20% of EU LNG imports in 2024, around 20 billion cubic meters.
Imports of Russian LNG into the EU were still expected to amount to EUR 15 billion this year. – AFP
