European Union member countries have reached a consensus to end imports of Russian oil and gas by 2028, aiming to cut off an energy tie they believe supports Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
At a meeting held in Luxembourg on Monday, nearly all EU energy ministers supported the proposed regulation, which covers both pipeline-delivered oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Under the proposed regulation, EU countries need to end new Russian gas import agreements starting in January 2026, end existing short-term contracts by June 2026, and terminate long-term deals by January 2028.
The measure still requires approval from the European Parliament, where it is likely to be passed.
The initiative is part of a wider EU strategy to reduce reliance on Russian energy in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine. It also comes after repeated appeals from U.S. President Donald Trump urging European nations to stop financing the war.
The EU has already reduced Russian oil imports to just 3% of its total supply, but Russian gas still accounts for 13% of the bloc’s gas imports, amounting to over 15 billion euros ($17.5 billion) each year, according to the European Council.
However, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air notes that these EU purchases represent only a small share of Russia’s total fossil fuel exports, the majority of which are sent to China, India, and Turkey.
Hungary and Slovakia are the top importers of Russian energy within the EU, followed by France, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Although Hungary and Slovakia, nations with closer diplomatic ties to Moscow, objected to the new EU proposal, it passed regardless, as only a weighted majority of 15 member states was required, leaving them unable to veto it.
Alongside existing trade restrictions, the European Union is working on a new set of sanctions targeting Russia, which would prohibit LNG imports starting in January 2027—a year ahead of the broader energy ban. EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas stated on Monday that the new sanctions package could receive approval as soon as this week.
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