Shafaq News – Brussels
The European Union reached a preliminary deal on Wednesday to phase out all imports of Russian natural gas—both liquefied (LNG) and piped—in what officials described as a step toward ending Europe’s dependency on Moscow’s energy.
In a statement, the Council of the European Union said negotiators from the Council and the European Parliament agreed on regulations mandating a full ban on Russian LNG by the end of 2026 and a prohibition on pipeline gas in the autumn of 2027.
Under the draft rules, short-term gas contracts signed before June 17, 2025, will face an import ban beginning April 25, 2026 for LNG and June 17, 2026 for pipeline supplies. Long-term LNG contracts will be barred from January 1, 2027—part of the bloc’s nineteenth sanctions package—while long-term pipeline agreements will end on September 30, 2027, contingent on storage targets being met. The ban could take effect no later than November 1, 2027.
The regulation allows a brief transition period for existing supply deals and includes a mechanism enabling temporary suspension of the ban if Europe encounters severe supply disruptions.
The move follows mounting criticism within the EU about the true cost of severing Russian energy ties. A 2024 report by former Italian Prime Minister and ex-ECB chief Mario Draghi warned that Europe continues to face structural energy vulnerabilities and persistent shortages, despite public claims of successful diversification.
According to Draghi’s assessment, European gas prices remain four to five times higher than in the United States. Russian officials argue the shift has inflicted deep economic damage on Europe, with Russian Direct Investment Fund chief Kirill Dmitriev estimating losses exceeding €1.3 trillion. President Vladimir Putin has also blamed the policy for factory shutdowns, inflation spikes, and widespread street protests across EU states.
Despite such warnings, EU governments in October approved an initial plan to eliminate most Russian gas imports starting January 2026, with current contracts allowed to run until early 2028 if necessary.