Bloomberg: EU moves to cut all Russian energy imports by 2027

The EU is preparing a sweeping regulatory plan to eliminate imports of Russian energy by the end of 2027, marking a major step in its effort to sever energy ties with Moscow following the invasion of Ukraine.

The European Commission is expected to unveil draft legislation on June 17 that includes a zero-import quota on Russian natural gas, Caliber.Az reports via Bloomberg. 

If adopted, the measure would allow European companies to invoke force majeure clauses to cancel existing contracts. The proposal also reportedly includes measures to phase out Russian oil and curb future supply agreements for nuclear fuel and materials. 

The initiative builds on the EU’s strategic roadmap released last month, which outlined a gradual but complete decoupling from Russian fossil fuels. Though Russian gas imports to Europe have significantly declined since 2022, the bloc still receives supplies via pipelines through Türkiye and through liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments. While the Commission has not officially commented on the pending proposal, insiders indicate that the draft regulation would be directly applicable across all 27 EU member states and could carry enforcement power similar to sanctions. To take effect, the legislation would need qualified majority approval from EU governments and a majority vote in the European Parliament.

Under the Commission’s two-step strategy, all new contracts and spot market purchases of Russian gas—accounting for about one-third of imports—would be banned by the end of 2025. Existing long-term contracts would be phased out by the close of 2027. The EU’s shift away from Russian energy could create new market space for increased US LNG exports to Europe, a development encouraged by US President Donald Trump and supported by transatlantic energy cooperation efforts. 

Despite the planned phase-out, the EU continues to receive LNG from Russia’s Yamal facility under long-standing agreements with firms such as TotalEnergies, Naturgy Energy Group, and Securing Energy for Europe GmbH in Germany. To avoid internal political gridlock, the Commission will use legal mechanisms that do not require unanimous consent—sidestepping opposition from countries like Hungary and Slovakia, which still rely on Russian pipeline gas. These legal tools, based on qualified majority voting, have previously been employed to manage energy crises and ensure supply stability.

By Naila Huseynova