EU imposes complete ban on Russian gas from end of 2027

The European Parliament votes to approve a complete ban on Russian gas imports from the end of 2027, in an effort to cut Moscow's revenue.

European Parliament members today approved a complete ban on Russian gas imports during a plenary session in Strasbourg, France. The vote saw 500 votes in favor, 120 against, and 32 abstentions.

"This is a historic event. The European Union (EU) is taking a significant step towards a new era free from Russian gas and oil," stated Ville Niinisto, a Finnish lawmaker and one of the ban's proponents. He added, "Russia will never again be able to use fossil fuels as a weapon against Europe."

The ban outlines specific timelines for phasing out gas imports. Long-term contracts for pipeline gas with Russia will cease from 30/9/2027, contingent on reserve assurance, but no later than 1/11/2027. For liquefied natural gas (LNG), long-term contracts will be prohibited from 1/1/2027.

Short-term contracts are set for an earlier phase-out, with LNG contracts ending from 25/4/2026 and pipeline gas contracts from 17/6/2026. Any violations of these new regulations will incur financial penalties.

While the law requires approval from individual EU member state parliaments, this step is largely procedural.

As of October this year, Russia accounted for 12% of the EU's gas imports, a notable decrease from 45% before the Ukraine conflict began in 2/2022. Hungary, France, and Belgium are among the nations still receiving this supply.

The European Commission has indicated it will propose a bill in early 2026 to gradually eliminate oil imports from Russia.