EU Plans Russian Gas Ban by 2027 Amid Push to Cut Energy Ties
The European Union is preparing to formally propose a ban on Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, in a landmark move to cut remaining energy ties with Moscow, The Gaze reports, citing Bloomberg.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the European Commission is expected to present a proposal in June that would prohibit all new contracts for Russian gas, including spot market purchases, which currently make up about a third of imports, before the end of 2025.
In parallel, it aims to phase out long-term contracts tied to Russian pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) by 2027.
Although Russian gas volumes to Europe have plummeted since 2022, they remain significant. In 2024, the EU purchased €23 billion ($26 billion) worth of Russian energy, more than its military assistance to Ukraine that year.
The Commission’s proposal is expected to include a set of ambitious measures: a prohibition on all new Russian gas contracts and spot purchases by the end of the year; a complete phase-out of imports tied to long-term deals by 2027; enhanced transparency requirements regarding the origin and terms of gas contracts; trade measures aimed at making Russian energy supplies less economically viable; and the gradual reduction of imports of Russian nuclear materials, including uranium.
The Commission is also navigating murky definitions in the LNG market, where it can be difficult to determine whether gas was purchased on a spot or long-term basis when a shipment arrives.
Efforts to ban Russian gas are expected to open new avenues for American suppliers, aligning with President Donald Trump’s calls to increase LNG exports to Europe. Still, significant volumes of non-Russian LNG from the U.S. and Qatar are not expected until 2027.
Meanwhile, Slovakia and Hungary — still reliant on Russian oil and gas — will be required to submit plans detailing how they will end such imports by 2027.
As The Gaze reported, the European Commission is planning to present a roadmap in the near future that will set out steps to phase out imports of Russian fossil fuels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at an event in London.