EU Agrees to End Russian Gas Imports Starting 2026

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The EU and the European Parliament have agreed to gradually stop importing both LNG and pipeline gas from Russia.

As reported by Euronews, the European Council has stated that LNG imports will be fully banned by the end of 2026, while the ban on pipeline gas imports will come into effect in the fall of 2027.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the bloc is entering a new era by ceasing the import of Russian fossil fuels. "This is the dawn of a new era: the era of Europe's full energy independence from Russia," von der Leyen said in a statement as quoted by RFERL.

"As we slashed Russian imports of fossil fuels massively we also cut the revenues that Russia uses to wage its war of aggression against Ukraine, we were paying to Russia 12 billion euros ($14 billion) per month at the beginning of the war for fossil fuels now we are down to 1.5 billion euros per month. Still too much. We aim to bring it down to zero," she emphasized.

However, the import ban excludes Hungary and Slovakia. Both countries are allowed to use Moscow gas in the event of supply disruptions, according to EU legislators who agreed on Tuesday night.

The statement mentioned that this move aims "to end dependence on Russian energy, after Russia used gas supplies as a weapon that significantly impacted the European energy market."

"We've made it: Europe is turning off the tap on Russian gas, forever," wrote European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jorgensen 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."

Russian Gas Dependence

As of last October, Russia contributed 12 percent of the EU's gas imports, down from 45 percent in 2022, according to several media reports.

With these regulations in place, by the end of 2027, no more Russian LNG or pipeline gas will enter the bloc.

EU legislators have stipulated that for short-term supply contracts signed before June 17, 2025, the ban will take effect from April 25, 2026, for LNG and June 17, 2026, for pipeline gas.

Long-term LNG import contracts will be allowed until January 1, 2027, in line with the 19th sanctions package.

For long-term pipeline gas import contracts, the ban will take effect on September 30, 2027. However, depending on the level of storage fill across member states, the ban can be extended until November 1, 2027.

Freeing themselves from Russian energy imports has long been a priority for EU member states, gaining momentum after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and disrupted energy prices across the EU27 bloc.

Since then, the EU has announced various measures to diversify energy suppliers and reduce dependence on Russia, culminating in the European Commission's proposal to ban Russian energy imports.

EU data shows that the bloc's dependence on Moscow for gas dropped from 45 percent before the large-scale invasion of Ukraine to 13 percent in the first half of 2025. However, despite the drastic reduction, Russian gas imports still amounted to 10 billion.

Belgium, France, and Spain are among the member states still receiving Russian LNG through transshipment.

Parliament Breaks Deadlock

While most EU member states support the ban on Russian energy, citing it will weaken Moscow's ability to finance the war in Ukraine, landlocked countries have expressed concerns about supply security.

They also argue that their countries would face higher energy prices than other member states, citing unfair competition within the bloc.

The European Parliament opposed exemptions for landlocked countries, but eventually agreed in the Council.

"I am very pleased and proud that we have been able to reach an agreement with the European Parliament so quickly. It shows that we are committed to strengthening our security and safeguarding our energy supply," said Danish Climate and Energy Minister Lars Aagaard, representing the current Danish Presidency.

Hungary and Slovakia Opposition

However, Hungary and Slovakia plan to challenge the law after it is adopted.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said it is impossible to implement the "dictate" from Brussels, calling the law a "fraud" and claiming it contravenes EU agreements.

"Accepting and implementing this Brussels order is impossible for Hungary," said Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in a speech broadcast on his Facebook page.

"As soon as the RePowerEU plan is formally adopted, we will immediately challenge it before the Court of Justice of the European Union," he added in a post on X.

Slovakia, which also raised concerns over the impact of Russia's supply disruptions on its economy, said it was considering responses to the implementation of the new measures.

"Hungary is not alone, Slovakia is also being consulted to take action," Szijjarto said in a press conference in Brussels.

Hungarian and Slovak Prime Ministers Viktor Orban and Robert Fico have both taken a more sympathetic approach toward the Kremlin than other EU leaders.

The Kremlin said the move would "accelerate" Europe's leading economy's decline and "diminish its competitiveness."

"This means Europe will depend on gas that is more expensive and sometimes significantly more expensive than Russian gas," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

For this temporary agreement to be formally adopted, it must be approved by the European Parliament and member states.

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