European Union negotiators reached a landmark agreement early Wednesday to phase out all Russian gas imports by the fall of 2027. The move aims to cut a major revenue stream for Moscow nearly four years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Representatives of the European Parliament and EU member states struck the deal after lengthy talks in Brussels.
EU leaders have long struggled to reduce the bloc’s dependence on Russian energy. Even after the invasion, Europe continued buying significant volumes of Russian gas. However, the new agreement sets a clear timetable that forces a complete shift away from Russian supplies.
Energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen hailed the deal shortly after the announcement. He wrote on X that Europe is “turning off the tap on Russian gas, forever.” He added that the move ends what he described as Moscow’s blackmail and market manipulation. He said the EU stands firmly with Ukraine.
Agreement sets strict deadlines
Under the agreement, long-term pipeline contracts will be banned from September 30, 2027, provided storage levels remain sufficient. The EU will impose the ban no later than November 1, 2027, regardless of storage conditions. The bloc will also prohibit long-term LNG contracts earlier, starting January 1, 2027. Shorter-term LNG deals will end on April 25, 2026, while shorter-term pipeline contracts will stop on June 17, 2026.
The European Council said the timeline aims to end the bloc’s dependency on Russian energy. Officials referenced Moscow’s weaponization of gas supplies, which previously rattled markets and triggered steep price increases across Europe.
Companies may invoke force majeure to exit existing contracts once the ban takes effect. The agreement still requires formal approval from the European Parliament and national governments.
Plan includes oil phase-out for Hungary and Slovakia
As part of the deal, the European Commission will prepare a plan to halt Russian oil imports to Hungary and Slovakia by the end of 2027. Both landlocked states received exemptions when the EU introduced an oil embargo in 2022. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán continues to defend purchases of Russian energy. He also met President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last week, drawing criticism from several EU officials.
Russian gas share declines but LNG reliance rises
Russian gas once accounted for 45 percent of EU imports in 2021. That figure has fallen to about 19 percent this year. However, Europe increased purchases of Russian LNG, which arrives by sea and undergoes regasification at EU ports. Russia supplied around 20 percent of the bloc’s LNG imports in 2024, second only to the United States. EU officials estimate that Russian LNG deliveries this year will reach roughly 15 billion euros.
