EU Approves Plan To Ban Oil And Gas From Russia

The Kremlin is being deprived of a key source of funding for the war.

European Union ambassadors have agreed on a plan to phase out oil and gas imports from Russia by 2028, Reuters reported, citing European diplomats. According to the plan, the phase-out will begin in January 2026, when imports of Russian gas under new contracts will be banned. From June 2026, the restriction will also apply to short-term agreements, and from January 2028 a complete ban on supplies under long-term contracts will come into effect. The document is aimed at depriving the Kremlin of energy revenues used to finance the war in Ukraine.

According to the agency's sources, almost all EU states supported the initiative, which increases the chances of its quick approval. However, Hungary and Slovakia criticized the document because their economies are still dependent on Russian energy resources. Nevertheless, the draft law will oblige these countries to prepare national plans to completely stop importing oil and gas from Russia by 2028.

The question of the origin of liquefied natural gas (LNG) coming to Europe is still open. The EU is debating whether LNG shipments should undergo pre-approval before shipment, as well as customs checks upon arrival at EU ports to ensure the gas is not Russian. France and Italy supported the overall plan, but suggested clarifying the mechanism for controlling the origin of shipments.

After the ambassadors agree, the document will be sent to EU ministers for approval at an Oct. 20 meeting. A "qualified majority" of at least 55% of member states will be needed to approve the plan. EU countries and the European Parliament will then begin negotiations on the final text of the law.

The EU's dependence on Russian gas has now fallen from 45% in 2021 to around 12%. However, a number of countries, including Hungary, France and Belgium, still continue to buy.

At the same time, the EU is discussing a new package of sanctions against Russia, which envisages a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas as early as January 2027 - a year earlier than originally planned.

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