EU member states and lawmakers have reached a political agreement to completely end imports of Russian gas by autumn 2027 — a major milestone in the bloc’s push to break its energy dependence on Moscow. The deal, announced early Wednesday, December 3, reflects a compromise after the European Parliament pressed for an earlier deadline.
“The Council presidency and European Parliament representatives have reached a provisional agreement on the regulation to phase out imports of Russian natural gas,” the European Council said. The measure aims to halt reliance on Russian energy after Moscow “weaponised” gas supplies, triggering severe disruptions in Europe’s energy market.
Under the agreement:
Long-term contracts for Russian pipeline gas will be banned no later than November 1, 2027.
Long-term LNG contracts will be barred from January 1, 2027.
Short-term LNG contracts will be banned from April 25, 2026, and short-term pipeline gas from June 17, 2026.
The timeline still requires formal endorsement by both the European Parliament and EU governments, but officials say the political deal marks a decisive turning point in Europe’s energy policy after nearly three years of efforts to scale back Russian gas dependence following the invasion of Ukraine.
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