EU Lawmakers Strike Deal to End Russian Gas Imports by 2027, Aiming for Energy Independence
Landmark deal signals a major blow to Moscow’s war revenue, with phased bans on pipeline and LNG contracts and a push to cut Russian oil imports from Hungary and Slovakia.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — European Union lawmakers and member states reached a landmark agreement Wednesday to ban all imports of Russian gas by autumn 2027, marking a decisive step toward reducing Moscow’s revenue streams amid its ongoing war in Ukraine.
“This is the dawn of a new era, the era of Europe’s full energy independence from Russia,” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said following the overnight deal.
The agreement, which balances differing positions between EU capitals and the European Parliament, sets a phased timeline for eliminating dependence on Russian energy.
Long-term pipeline contracts—the most sensitive due to their multi-decade durations—will be banned from September 30, 2027, provided storage levels are sufficient, and no later than November 1, 2027.
For liquefied natural gas (LNG), long-term contracts will be prohibited starting January 1, 2027.
Short-term contracts will be phased out earlier, with LNG contracts ending April 25, 2026, and pipeline gas contracts by June 17, 2026. European companies will be able to invoke “force majeure” to legally justify breaking existing contracts under the new EU rules.
“This is a historic step: Europe is turning off the tap on Russian gas, forever,” EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen wrote on X. “We’ve chosen energy security and independence for Europe. No more blackmail. No more market manipulation by Putin. We stand strong with Ukraine.”
Phasing Out Russian Oil
The deal also tasks the European Commission with drafting a plan to end Russian oil imports to Hungary and Slovakia by the end of 2027. These two landlocked countries had previously received exemptions as the EU sought to reduce Russian oil dependence in 2022.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, known for his close ties with Moscow, last month vowed to continue importing Russian hydrocarbons, challenging Brussels’ energy strategy.
The move reflects the EU’s broader push to cut off a lucrative revenue stream for Moscow. Russian gas accounted for 45 percent of EU imports in 2021 but has fallen to 19 percent in 2024.
While pipeline deliveries have declined, Europe has partly shifted to LNG, imported by sea and reintegrated into its network.
Russia remains a significant LNG supplier, accounting for roughly 20 percent of EU LNG imports this year, or around 20 billion cubic meters.
Russian LNG imports are still expected to generate about €15 billion in revenue for Moscow in 2024.
Kremlin Reacts
The Kremlin dismissed the EU move, warning it would result in more expensive energy and weaken Europe’s economic standing.
“This means that Europe is condemning itself to much more expensive energy sources,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “This will only accelerate the process of the European economy losing its leading potential.”
The agreement is subject to final approval by the European Parliament and EU member states. If implemented, it would mark a major turning point in Europe’s energy policy and a significant economic blow to Russia, while reshaping the continent’s energy market in favor of diversification and security.
