“We learned our lesson”: European Commission opposes return of Russian gas

The European Union does not plan to return to purchasing Russian gas even after the war against Ukraine ends. At the same time, energy sanctions against Russia will remain in place at least until the fighting stops.

This is reported by Radio Liberty, citing statements by representatives of the European Commission.

The European Commission’s chief spokeswoman, Paula Pinho, emphasized that Europe has already felt the consequences of dependence on Russian energy and is not going to repeat previous mistakes.

“We have learned our lesson – regardless of whether there is a war or not,” she said.

Pinho also recalled that it was Russia that was the first to stop gas supplies to Europe.

European Commission spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen explained that the rejection of Russian gas is provided for by REPowerEU legislation and does not depend on sanctions or possible peace agreements.

According to these rules, the EU must stop importing Russian liquefied gas under long-term contracts from January 1, 2027, and pipeline gas by autumn 2027.

The statements came amid reports by the Financial Times about possible economic agreements between the US and Russia. In particular, the parties are discussing the resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe through Nord Stream and the participation of American companies in Russian oil projects.

At the same time, an American official told the publication that there are no final agreements, and their implementation will depend on the conclusion of a comprehensive peace agreement.

As a reminder, the United States previously considered the possibility of resuming the operation of Nord Stream and easing sanctions against Russia as part of a potential peaceful settlement.

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