European Union (EU) member countries have supported a plan that foresees the complete termination of natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from Russia by the beginning of 2028.
According to a statement from the EU Council, the energy ministers of the member states reached a consensus on the regulation regarding the phased cessation of gas imports from Russia during a meeting held in Luxembourg.
The statement indicated that the member states have established a common negotiating position for the talks to be held with the European Parliament (EP) on the draft regulation for the gradual removal of natural gas imports from Russia.
It was recalled that action is being taken in line with the plan aimed at ending energy dependency on Russia, stating, “The proposed regulation introduces a legally binding, gradual ban on imports of pipeline gas and LNG from Russia. Within this framework, a complete ban on Russian gas will be applied as of January 1, 2028.”
In this context, imports of Russian gas under “new contracts” will be phased out starting from January 1, 2026, under “short-term contracts” from June 17, 2026, and under “long-term contracts” from January 1, 2028.
It was noted that amendments to existing contracts will only be permitted to a limited extent, and that certain flexibility may be granted to landlocked EU countries with potential supply difficulties.
For the draft law to enter into force, approval from the EU Council and the European Parliament is required.
According to data, the EU imported approximately 45% of the natural gas it consumed from Russia in 2021. However, this ratio had decreased to 19% as of last year. Despite this, many EU countries continue to purchase LNG and pipeline gas from Russia.
