European Union lawmakers and member states have struck a landmark agreement to ban all imports of Russian gas by autumn 2027, marking one of the bloc’s most decisive steps toward reducing Moscow’s access to energy revenues that have long fed its war machinery.
Announcing the breakthrough early Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed it as “the dawn of a new era, the era of Europe’s full energy independence from Russia.” The decision represents a compromise between EU governments and the European Parliament, which had pushed for an even earlier cutoff.
EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen celebrated the deal on X, writing, “We’ve made it: Europe is turning off the tap on Russian gas, forever. We’ve chosen energy security and independence for Europe. No more blackmail. No more market manipulation by Putin.”
Russia Reacts, Warns of Economic Consequences for EU
Predictably, the Kremlin criticised the decision, claiming it would “accelerate the decline” of the EU’s economy by forcing member states to rely on costlier alternatives. Moscow dismissed the move as another politically motivated step that would ultimately burden European consumers.
What the Deal Includes: Key Deadlines
Under the agreement:
- Long-term pipeline gas contracts—some of which typically run for decades—will be banned from September 30, 2027, assuming gas storage levels remain adequate, and no later than November 1, 2027, under any circumstance.
- Long-term LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) contracts from Russia will be prohibited starting January 1, 2027, echoing Ursula von der Leyen’s call for tighter sanctions.
- Short-term LNG contracts will end by April 25, 2026, and
- Short-term pipeline gas contracts will be prohibited from June 17, 2026.
A European Council statement said the move aims “to end dependency on Russian energy following Russia’s weaponisation of gas supplies with significant effects on the European energy market.”
The timeline still requires final approval from the European Parliament and EU member states, though this is expected to be largely procedural.
To help companies exit existing contracts, the EU will allow firms to invoke “force majeure”, citing the bloc’s legally mandated import ban as justification.
Plan to End Russian Oil for Hungary and Slovakia
The agreement also instructs the European Commission to devise a plan to wean Hungary and Slovakia off Russian oil by end-2027. Both nations, being landlocked, received exemptions during the EU’s 2022 oil embargo and continue to rely heavily on Russian crude.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, known for his pro-Moscow stance, has vowed to keep importing Russian hydrocarbons, even meeting with President Vladimir Putin to reaffirm energy cooperation.
EU’s Shrinking Dependence on Russian Energy
Nearly four years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU’s strategy to sever ties with Russian energy appears to be gaining traction:
- Russian gas accounted for 45% of EU imports in 2021,
- but fell to 19% by 2024.
Although pipeline imports have dropped significantly, Russia remains Europe’s second-largest LNG supplier, providing 20% of LNG imports—around 20 billion cubic meters in 2024.
Behind the United States (which supplies 45%), Russia continues to earn billions. EU imports of Russian LNG are still estimated at €15 billion this year.
The new energy sanctions aim to finally choke off this revenue stream.