Pipes at gas compressor station in Mallnow, Germany, 11 July 2022. Photo: EPA/FILIP SINGER
The Council of the European Union has approved a ban on the transit of Russian gas within its borders coming into effect from 1 January 2026, with allowances in place for existing long-term contracts up until 1 January 2028, the council’s press service reported on Monday.
According to the council, Russia’s share of the EU’s pipeline natural gas had dropped from 40% in 2021 to around 11% by 2024, with Norway supplanting Russia to become the bloc’s largest supplier.
The EU has also developed infrastructure for the import and storage of liquefied natural gas (LNG), of which the US has been the largest supplier in a market that has doubled from 2021 to 2024 according to the council’s statistics.
Energy imports have been a point of contention within the EU since the war began, with reliance on Russian imports often compromising unanimity on issues around Ukraine. Hungary has criticised Ukraine for striking Russian energy infrastructure, while Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened to veto proposed sanctions against Russia that would cause his country supply issues with Gazprom. Both Hungary and Slovakia hold long-term contracts with Gazprom, extending to 2036 and 2034 respectively.
The European Commission shifted to a legal proposal framed as a trade measure that requires only a qualified majority to pass, thereby sidestepping the veto issue, while some member states dragged their feet on sanctions, according to Politico.
The announcement does not cover Russian oil imports into the EU, a step European diplomats speaking to Euractiv described as “more difficult” as Russia has been a considerably more reliable partner when it comes to oil deliveries, particularly through the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline.
