EU unveils plan to end all Russian gas imports by 2027

On Tuesday, the European Union unveiled a plan to end Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, a challenging target due to the bloc's heavy reliance on the fossil fuel.

"Today the EU sends a clear message to Russia. We will never again allow Russia to use energy as a weapon against us," said European Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen as he unveiled the plan to the European Parliament.

The European Commission is proposing a two-step approach: a ban on new contracts and the termination of existing short-term contracts with Russian companies by the end of 2025, followed by a complete halt of all gas imports from Russia two years later.

This roadmap, which had been postponed several times before its presentation on Tuesday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, will now be submitted to both member states and the Parliament.

Negotiations are expected to be difficult, with concerns that energy prices may rise again.

The EU's reliance on Russian gas imports has decreased from 45% in 2021 to 19% in 2024.

While the bloc has worked to reduce its pipeline supplies, it has increasingly relied on liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is transported by ship, offloaded at ports, regasified, and then injected into the European gas grid.

LNG imports reached record levels.

Lagging behind the United States (45%), Russia still played a central role in the EU's supply, accounting for 20% of imports in 2024.