EU moves to permanently ban Russian gas, push energy independence

The European Union will permanently end imports of Russian natural gas and phase out remaining Russian oil under a political agreement reached by negotiators for the European Parliament and Council.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The European Union will permanently end imports of Russian natural gas and phase out remaining Russian oil under a political agreement reached by negotiators for the European Parliament and the Council this week.

The deal, announced Wednesday in Brussels, sets legally binding timelines to eliminate Russian LNG imports by December 31, 2026, and pipeline gas by September 30, 2027. Member states may delay the pipeline deadline by one month if they are unable to meet storage requirements, according to the EU.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the agreement marks a decisive break from Moscow as Europe continues to seek alternative suppliers.

“Today, we enter the era of Europe’s full energy independence from Russia,” von der Leyen said in a statement. “REPowerEU has delivered. It shielded us from the worst energy crisis in decades, and it helped us transition from Russian fossil fuels at record speed. Today, we are stopping these imports permanently.”

The measures follow commitments made in the Versailles Declaration of 2022 and build on the REPowerEU roadmap released earlier this year. Russian gas made up 45 per cent of EU imports before the invasion of Ukraine; by mid-2025, that figure had fallen to 13 per cent, according to the Commission.

Under the agreement, short-term LNG and pipeline contracts concluded before June 17, 2025, will end in 2026. Long-term LNG contracts will be prohibited beginning January 1, 2027. Existing contracts may only be amended for limited operational purposes, and the volume or prices agreed upon cannot increase.

The EU said the regulation includes new monitoring tools, prior-authorization rules and transparency requirements to prevent circumvention, along with cooperation between customs authorities and EU anti-fraud bodies.

Member states will also be required to file national diversification plans by March 1, 2026, detailing how they will replace Russian fossil fuels. The Commission will review those plans and issue recommendations.

A legislative proposal to ban remaining Russian oil imports will be introduced in 2026, in line with earlier commitments.

The announcement comes as Europe continues to seek new long-term suppliers.

During COP30 last month, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told True North that Germany “remains open” to Canadian LNG to replace Russian energy but also noted that “no progress” has been made with Ottawa on securing Canadian supply. Merz said discussions with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government are ongoing but “not yet decided.”

Germany has invested in LNG import terminals on its northern coast as part of its diversification plans.

Canada has recently pursued closer defence and economic ties with the European Union, including participation in SAFE—the EU’s €150-billion defence procurement instrument—but has still not announced any firm LNG export commitments.

EU officials said the phase-out of Russian gas and oil is expected to stabilize energy markets and strengthen Europe’s long-term economic and security position. The agreement must still be formally approved by the European Parliament and EU member governments before entering into force.