Energy EU finally decides to abandon Russian gas
The EU states have finally decided to stop importing gas from Russia by the end of 2027 at the latest. This means that imports of Russian gas via pipelines are to be phased out completely from November 1, 2027 at the latest.
26.01.2026, 11:14
SDA
24 of the 27 EU member states voted in favor of a corresponding regulation in Brussels, thus achieving the necessary majority. Negotiators from the member states and the European Parliament negotiated the regulation in December, which has now been finally confirmed. Members of the EU Parliament have already given the green light.
According to an analysis by the EU Commission, the complete renunciation of Russian gas poses no risk to security of supply. There are enough other suppliers on the world market, Brussels said last year. Consumers would therefore not have to worry too much about rising gas prices. The Commission had proposed the import ban that has now been decided.
New regulation despite adopted gas sanctions
The background to the import ban is the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Until the invasion began in 2022, the energy supply in Germany and many other EU countries was largely secured with the help of cheap oil and gas from Russia.
The changeover will take time - above all because too great an impact on consumer energy prices needs to be avoided. As a result of the war of aggression, the EU has already imposed far-reaching import bans on Russian energy sources such as coal and oil.
Moscow's gas is still coming into the EU, but from 2027 there will be a complete ban on imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia. The punitive measure is part of a package of sanctions against Moscow adopted in October.
In addition to a ban on imports, the regulation that has now been adopted is also intended to create legal certainty for pipeline gas from Russia: While the sanctions against Moscow must be extended every six months and require unanimity among the member states, the legal changes now envisaged will apply permanently.
Russia makes billions in profits from energy supplies
The aim is to ensure that the EU states become independent of energy imports from Russia in the long term and therefore less vulnerable to blackmail. In addition, the complete import ban is intended to make it more difficult for Russia, a major raw materials power, to continue financing its war of aggression against Ukraine.
Even after almost four years of war, Russia continues to make billions in profits from energy supplies to the EU. According to data from the EU statistics authority Eurostat, the EU imported liquefied natural gas worth almost 4.5 billion euros from Russia in the first half of 2025. In 2024, natural and processed gas worth 15.6 billion euros was imported from there. By comparison, gas worth 19.1 billion euros came from the USA.
Safety clause enshrined
However, the regulation contains a kind of safety clause should the security of supply of one or more member states be seriously jeopardized. Under these circumstances, the EU Commission could allow the affected EU countries to suspend import bans on gas. Only if a member state declares a state of emergency will temporary deliveries be permitted.
