EU Energy Ministers Move to Halt Russian Gas Imports by 2027, Emphasizing Energy Independence

On Monday, EU energy ministers reached an agreement to eliminate their remaining gas imports from Russia by the end of 2027, an effort aimed at ending a dependency that has been problematic since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The plan, which is anticipated to receive backing from the European Parliament, prohibits new contracts for Russian gas imports starting January 1, 2026.

Current contracts will have a grace period, allowing short-term contract inflows until June 17 of next year, and long-term contracts until January 1, 2028.

As of 2025, Russian gas is projected to still represent approximately 13% of the EU’s imports, translating to over €15 billion ($15.15 billion) each year, as reported by Brussels.

Hungary and Slovakia are the largest consumers of Russian pipeline gas and crude oil in the EU, while France, the Netherlands, and Belgium are the primary purchasers of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The approved EU Council text includes “specific flexibilities for landlocked member states” such as Hungary and Slovakia, which opposed the gas import ban.

During their meeting in Luxembourg, the ministers endorsed the European Commission’s strategy to phase out both pipeline gas and LNG imports from Russia, pending the European Parliament’s approval.

The Commission has made exceptions for Hungary and Slovakia—countries that maintain closer ties with the Kremlin—to facilitate the proposal’s passage without needing unanimous approval.

Unlike the newly adopted trade restrictions, which only require the support of a weighted majority of 15 nations, sanctions demand unanimous agreement from all 27 EU countries, which has proven challenging at times.

The Danish Council presidency will initiate talks with the European Parliament to finalize the regulation once the Parliament has stated its position, according to a statement from the EU Council.

Both the EU Council and the European Parliament aim to finalize an agreement before the end of 2025, as reported by Bloomberg.

This plan is part of a wider EU initiative to reduce reliance on Russian energy sources.

In tandem, the European Commission is advocating for LNG imports to be phased out by January 2027, a year earlier, as part of a new series of sanctions designed to weaken Moscow’s military funding.

However, unlike the trade restrictions, which can pass with a majority, sanctions necessitate the unanimous consent of the EU’s member states.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas indicated that the bloc’s 19th sanctions package, which includes a ban on Russian LNG imports starting January 1, 2027, might be approved as soon as this week.

Reporting by AFP contributed to this article.