The decision is intended to reduce Europe’s vulnerability to external pressure and curb revenues used to fund military operations.
EU states have finalized a complete ban on Russian gas imports, set to take effect no later than November 2027. The agreement stipulates that the European Union will first cease all imports of Russian Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) by the end of 2026. Pipeline gas deliveries must be terminated by September 30, 2027. However, an extension until November 1, 2027, is possible if member states face difficulties filling gas storage facilities from alternative sources before the onset of winter.
Even stricter timelines have been set for gas supplied under short-term contracts, which account for approximately one-third of all European imports from Russia. According to the bill, such deliveries must stop by April 25, 2026, for LNG and by June 17 of the same year for pipeline gas. The conclusion of new short-term supply contracts is likely to be prohibited as early as this spring.
Hungary and Slovakia Vote Against the Supply Cut
The regulation, adopted in Brussels by the relevant ministers, implements the EU sanctions decisions from October 2025. It confirms the agreement reached between member states and European Parliament representatives in December, which has already received parliamentary approval.
However, the import ban was not unanimous. The decision was approved by a qualified majority: Hungary and Slovakia, citing their dependence on Russian energy and maintaining close ties with Moscow, voted against the measure. The government in Budapest immediately announced its intention to appeal the decision at the European Court of Justice.
Permanent Import Ban Established
With this decision in Brussels, the EU’s political plan to sever energy ties with Russia—nearly four years after the start of hostilities in Ukraine—has been given a long-term legal foundation. This is intended to guarantee the strategic independence of EU countries from Russian energy sources more reliably than sanctions packages, which require regular renewal.
Prior to the conflict, Russia provided more than 40 percent of the gas consumed in the European Union. According to recent EU data, this share had already dropped to approximately 13 percent in 2025. Nevertheless, a total phase-out has been difficult for many member states, primarily due to efforts to prevent excessive impacts on consumer energy prices.
Russian Energy Revenue
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized: “The goal of the new regulation is to deplete President Vladimir Putin’s financial resources.” To date, nearly four years into the conflict, Russia has continued to generate significant profits from energy supplies to the EU.
In the first half of 2025, according to the statistical agency Eurostat, the EU imported nearly 4.5 billion euros worth of LNG from Russia. In 2024, the import volume of natural and processed gas totaled 15.6 billion euros.
Safety Clause
Whether this revenue stream will actually be cut remains to be seen, as Russia is already pivoting toward other buyers. Furthermore, the new Brussels regulation, despite all declarations of a final termination, contains a “safety clause” for cases of serious threats to the security of supply for one or more member states. Under such circumstances, the European Commission may allow affected EU countries to temporarily suspend the import bans. If a member state declares a state of emergency, time-limited deliveries are permitted.
Source: dpa
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