The European Union countries today officially decided on a rapid cessation of Russian gas purchases. The giant industry of the Soviet and then Russian economy, oriented towards Europe and established since the 1960s, will cease to exist in a little over a year and a half.
A complete ban on LNG imports will come into effect from the beginning of 2027, it is stated in a statement by the EU Council. Pipeline deliveries will continue a little longer: they are expected to stop in the fall of next year. In the future, before issuing a permit for gas imports into the EU, the bloc’s countries will have to verify where it was extracted to prevent Russian raw materials from entering the European market.
Countries must prepare plans for diversifying gas supplies and identify possible problems in switching from Russian gas to fuel from other sources by March 1, 2026. Hungary and Slovakia have traditionally opposed the ban, but they will now have to comply with the EU’s decision (The Moscow Times).
