Members of the European Parliament have approved the gradual introduction of a complete ban on imports of Russian LNG and pipeline gas. In the case of pipeline gas, the ban is to take effect no later than autumn 2027. According to MEP Borys Budka, the timeline gives all member states sufficient time to prepare for supply diversification, although for some countries this will be a significant challenge. At the beginning of 2026, the European Commission is expected to present legislation introducing a full ban on imports of Russian crude oil.
“The detailed timetable set out in these regulations allows for a partial phase-out of Russian gas as early as 2026, with a complete exit in 2027,” Budka told Newseria. “It is crucial that we stop financing Putin’s regime. Europe is moving away from this fuel—it will still take some time, but the most important thing is to remove Russian gas from the European Union once and for all, and ultimately Russian oil as well.”
According to Eurostat, Russia accounted for around 40% of the EU’s pipeline gas imports at the end of 2021, while its share of LNG imports stood at nearly 22%. By the end of the third quarter of 2025, these shares had fallen to 10% for pipeline gas and 12.7% for LNG.
“These are good decisions aimed at reducing dependence on Russian hydrocarbons,” said Anna Zalewska, an MEP from Poland’s Law and Justice party (PiS). “One could say—finally—just as Poland pursued during the United Right government. The war exposed the problem, because in many countries imports of liquefied gas not only failed to decline but actually increased—for example, by 80% in France.”
Under the regulation adopted by the European Parliament, imports of Russian LNG are to be completely phased out by the end of 2026. A ban on pipeline gas imports is to apply from 30 September 2027. Short-term contracts concluded before 17 June 2025 will expire even sooner—April 2026 for LNG and June 2026 for pipeline gas.
“No compensation has been предусмотрed for terminating these contracts, and that is a problem for member states—especially those that are heavily dependent, have limited alternatives for sourcing gas elsewhere, and have not been offered dedicated financing,” Zalewska stressed.
Data from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) show that in the first half of 2025, France accounted for 41% of Russian LNG imports to the EU, followed by Belgium (28%), Spain (20%), the Netherlands (9%), and Portugal (2%). Russian pipeline gas continues to flow to Greece, Slovakia, and Hungary.
“There are quite a few countries that will struggle to implement this ban—Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Belgium,” Zalewska said. “Given how they imported during the war, even skirting sanctions, it is clear that resistance and difficulties will be greatest there. Diversifying supplies and changing delivery routes requires very costly investments, but it has to be done.”
“The period between the adoption of the rules and their entry into force allows all EU member states to prepare properly,” Budka emphasized. “I am glad that Poland is ready. I know other countries also want to move quickly, so this major challenge must end in success.”
According to the latest Eurostat data, in the third quarter of 2025 the United States was the EU’s largest supplier of LNG, accounting for 59.9% of total imports. Russia ranked second with a 12.7% share. Compared with the same period in 2024, the U.S. share increased by 19.1 percentage points, while Russia’s fell by 5.2 percentage points. For pipeline gas, Norway was the largest supplier (51.8%), with Russia accounting for 10%—a year-on-year increase of 10.1 percentage points for Norway and a decline of 8.6 percentage points for Russia.
“When replacing Russian gas, we are primarily thinking of American partners, as well as countries in the Middle East,” Budka said. “We are preparing European infrastructure—not only in Poland, but also in Spain and elsewhere—to receive LNG at ports. In the long term, it is important to minimize the use of fossil fuels for climate reasons. But now, once Russian gas is eliminated from the EU for good, it will be replaced with supplies from stable allies.”
The gas import ban is the EU’s response to Russia’s use of energy supplies as a weapon—a practice that intensified following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The European Parliament notes that Russia engaged in deliberate market manipulation, including unprecedented reductions in gas deliveries to EU storage facilities by Gazprom and sudden pipeline shutdowns, which drove energy prices sharply higher.
“These ‘never again’ slogans resonate,” Zalewska said. “I remember—because I was personally responsible—how before the war we did everything we could to mobilize the Council to vote against launching Nord Stream 2. Even then we said we were feeding a terrorist—an imperial power that would threaten Europe. Will this ban affect Russia? That is the goal. After three years of war and 19 sanctions packages, including measures against the so-called shadow fleets of old tankers masquerading under non-Russian flags to deliver LNG to the EU, this is precisely what we must do.”
The new rules also establish penalties that member states will impose on operators for violations. Operators will be required to provide customs authorities with more reliable and detailed evidence of the gas’s country of origin prior to import or storage, reducing legal loopholes and circumvention. MEPs also called for stricter conditions governing any suspension of the import ban in energy-security emergencies.
“This mechanism also safeguards against attempts to bypass the rules,” Budka said. “Importantly, we adopted—almost in parallel—regulations on gas storage. These measures are complementary: they make Europe safer, harder to circumvent, and reassure citizens that fuel supplies will not run out in winter.”
During negotiations with the Danish presidency of the Council, MEPs pressed for a ban on all imports of Russian crude oil. The European Commission has committed to presenting legislation in early 2026 so that an effective ban can enter into force as soon as possible and no later than the end of 2027. At present, Hungary and Slovakia continue to import Russian oil under sanctions exemptions.
