The EU Council has approved a ban on gas supplies from Russia from January 1, 2027

On January 26, the Council of the European Union (EU) approved a complete ban on the import of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) from January 1, 2027, and pipeline gas supplies will cease on September 30, 2027.

"Today, the EU energy market has become stronger, more stable and more diversified. We are moving away from harmful dependence on Russian gas and, in the spirit of solidarity and cooperation, we are taking an important step towards creating an autonomous energy union," Michalis Damianos, Cyprus' Minister of Energy, Trade and Industry, is quoted as saying on the Council's website.

It is specified that the ban will take effect six weeks after the relevant decree comes into force.

Sergei Altukhov, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, said on January 20 that Russia was ready to supply its energy resources to the EU on mutually beneficial terms, but the initiative should come from Europe. He added that the risks for the European Union are related not only to geopolitics, but also to the high volatility of the global LNG market.

In September last year, the EU updated the record for purchases of Russian LNG, despite official statements about its intention to abandon it. According to Eurostat, in the first half of 2025, the European Union purchased €2.9 billion worth of Russian pipeline gas and €4.5 billion worth of LNG, which is 28% more than a year earlier. Total purchases of Russian gas increased by 9% compared to last year.

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