The EU has released a two-step plan to end all Russian gas imports by 2027 on Tuesday, May 6.
The decision came after Bloomberg reported on Monday that the bloc was drafting a plan.
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On Tuesday, the European Commission – the executive body of the EU – announced a two-step plan to end new contracts and existing short-term spot contracts with Russian suppliers by this year, and later a full ban by 2027, according to AFP.
The plan only requires a weighted majority of 15 countries for approval, not all 27 states, AFP added.
“It is now time for Europe to completely cut off its energy ties with an unreliable supplier,” EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said.
“Energy that comes to our continent should not pay for a war of aggression against Ukraine,” she added.
While Russian gas imports to Europe has faltered after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, it continued to make up a tiny fraction via the Turkish Stream, its one remaining pipeline route to Europe with a capacity of just under 16 billion cubic meters (565 cubic feet) per year, plus deliveries in the form of liquified natural gas (LNG).
In 2024, Russian gas makes up 19% of the EU’s imports, down from 45% before 2022, AFP reported, citing EU data.
“We don’t want to be under the control of Putin,” EU energy chief Dan Jorgensen told AFP after setting out the measures at a news conference in Strasbourg.
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“We know that he will weaponise energy if he feels that it’s in his interest,” Jorgensen said.
Hungary, a Kremlin ally that has previously opposed Ukraine’s decision to shut off gas transit from Russia to Europe, lambasted the European Commission’s plans.
“After the complete failure of the sanctions against Russia, the European Commission is now making another extremely serious mistake by forcibly, artificially and ideologically excluding energy sources from Russia out of Europe,” Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Facebook.
Alternative sources of gas imports include the US, which has been supplying Europe with LNG following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It has since become the bloc’s largest LNG supplier whose imports make up 45% of the market.
But the tariff wars raged by US President Donald Trump have raised concerns with European energy executives.
Reuters, citing energy industry representatives, said some have shown concerns that Trump could use LNG as a leverage for political gains – just like what Europe experienced with Moscow in 2022.
Environmental group Greenpeace also warned of similar scenarios, according to AFP.
“The Commission risks replacing one disastrous dependency with another – unplugging [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin’s gas and plugging in Trump’s,” it said.
The commission also plans to introduce new measures against Russia’s “shadow fleet” moving oil despite sanctions, with upcoming proposals to also restrict imports of enriched uranium and nuclear materials, AFP reported.
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