Europe Sets Ambitious Deadline to Eliminate Russian Gas Imports by 2027

The European Commission has laid out plans to halt all Russian gas and LNG imports by 2027 to reduce reliance on Moscow, a move officials say will strengthen the EU's energy security and diminish Russia’s leverage.

The European Commission has released a comprehensive "roadmap" detailing its strategy to eradicate Europe's dependence on Russian energy within the next few years. The new policy mandates that imports of all Russian natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to European Union member countries will be entirely banned by the conclusion of 2027. "We will no longer allow Russia to manipulate energy resources against us... We refuse to inadvertently bolster the Kremlin's military endeavors," stated European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jorgensen during a news conference held in Strasbourg on Tuesday.

In response, Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, expressed that Europe is making a grave mistake, characterizing the decisions as "shooting itself in the foot." The European Union previously committed to terminating energy ties with Russia following the outset of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

As part of this initiative, the European Commission plans to introduce a series of legislative proposals in June, urging EU member states to develop "national plans" for phasing out imports of Russian gas, nuclear fuel, and oil by the end of the 2027 deadline. Jorgensen highlighted the necessity for member states to outline their transition strategies, particularly for ending dependency on Russian uranium, enriched uranium, and other nuclear supplies.

The EU aims to transition away from Russian gas by focusing on improving energy efficiency, accelerating the use of renewable energy, and diversifying energy sources, as stated in the commission’s report. Although EU reliance on Russian oil and gas has substantially decreased since the onset of the Ukraine conflict—sinking from 45% in 2021 to approximately 19% in 2024 for gas imports and from 27% to around 3% for oil—further work is needed, particularly concerning nuclear energy. The report identified that over 14% of uranium in the EU was sourced from Russia in 2024.

"This is a monumental challenge for our economic security and our moral obligation to support peace," Jorgensen remarked at the news briefing, adding that while the EU has made notable progress, there is still more work to do. The transition will be executed in a "stepwise and gradual" manner to mitigate any adverse impacts on the EU’s economy. Additionally, the roadmap addresses the issue of Russia's "shadow fleets," which are oil tankers with ambiguous ownership and insurance that enable Russia to continue its oil exports while evading sanctions.