The European Commission proposes to completely stop imports of gas and oil from Russia by the end of 2027. How it will work

The European Commission officially presented a legislative proposal on June 17 to end imports of Russian gas and oil by the end of 2027.

This is stated on the EC website.

The proposal envisages a phased cessation of imports of pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) originating in Russia or exported directly or indirectly from the Russian Federation.

Member states will be required to submit diversification plans with clear steps and timelines to gradually phase out imports of Russian energy.

According to the proposed schedule:

• new contracts for the import of Russian gas will be prohibited from January 1, 2026;
• imports under current short-term contracts must cease by June 17, 2026, with the exception of gas supplied by pipelines to landlocked countries and covered by long-term contracts — it is allowed to be imported until the end of 2027;
• all imports under long-term contracts will cease by the end of 2027.

Long-term contracts for the use of LNG terminals by customers from the Russian Federation or controlled by Russian companies will also be prohibited in order to free up capacity for alternative suppliers and increase market stability.

This proposal still needs to be supported by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.

• Although Russian pipeline gas supplies have fallen sharply since 2022, the EU increased its imports of Russian liquefied natural gas last year. That is, in 2024, Russia, as before, provided 19% of the total gas and LNG supplies to the European Union. The FT writes that Russian gas now accounts for less than 19% of all fossil fuel imports to the EU — previously, before the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, this share reached almost 40%.
• Unlike oil, the EU has not imposed sanctions on Russian gas imports. Hungary has promised to block any restrictions on Russian energy supplies. Some other governments are also reluctant to approve a ban on Russian LNG imports until the EU finds reliable alternatives.
• Now Ukraine, and in particular Volodymyr Zelensky, are calling for tougher sanctions against the Russian energy sector. The European Union is working on an 18th package of sanctions.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.