Europe Cuts the Cord: The EU’s Final Break with Russian Gas
фото: Reuters
On Monday, October 20, the Council of the European Union approved a decisive plan to completely phase out imports of Russian natural gas — a move aimed at ending the bloc’s energy dependence on the Kremlin and cutting off one of Moscow’s key financial lifelines for the war.
This is stated on the Council of Europe website.
The plan is part of the European Union’s REPowerEU roadmap — a strategic initiative to end dependence on Russian energy once and for all.
The Council of the European Union stressed that Russia has weaponized its gas supplies, and the EU has repeatedly faced supply disruptions that have severely affected the European energy market.
Against this backdrop, the European Union has proposed a full ban on the import of both pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Russian Federation.
Under the plan, Russian gas supplies to Europe will be prohibited starting January 1, 2026. A transition period will be granted for existing contracts.
Short-term contracts signed before June 17, 2025, may be extended until June 17, 2026, while long-term contracts may remain valid until January 1, 2028.
Any amendments to existing contracts will be allowed only for narrowly defined operational purposes — and will not permit increased supply volumes, except in special cases for landlocked member states affected by route changes.
The EU also plans to simplify customs procedures for non-Russian gas imports. Licensing authorities will only need to provide basic information before the gas enters EU customs territory, while imports of Russian gas during the transition period will face stricter reporting requirements.
According to the proposal, EU member states must submit national plans detailing measures and potential challenges in diversifying gas supplies.
The final version of the plan has not yet been adopted — the President of the European Council will now begin negotiations with the European Parliament to reach a final agreement.
As a reminder, the European Union seeks to abandon the purchase of Russian liquefied natural gas earlier than planned within the framework of the 19th package of sanctions against Russia.
By the way, on October 16, EP committees approved projects that provide for the European Union to completely abandon imports of Russian gas and oil starting from January 1, 2026. This decision is aimed at stopping the Kremlin’s use of energy resources as political pressure on Europe.
Trump previously stated that he was ready to impose “serious sanctions” against Russia, but would do so only if NATO member countries refused to buy Russian raw materials.
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