“The ban will begin to apply six weeks after the regulation enters into force, with a full prohibition on LNG imports taking effect in early 2027, followed by pipeline gas in the autumn of that year.” ~ @kyivindependent_official 🇺🇦👏💙💛🙏🇪🇺
#Repost @kyivindependent_official with @use.repost_ . . . The Council of the EU gave a green light to a phased ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) and pipeline gas by next year, the Council’s press service reported on Jan. 26.
The move is part of the EU’s efforts to end reliance on Russian fossil fuels in response to an all-out invasion of Ukraine, ongoing since 2022.
The ban will begin to apply six weeks after the regulation enters into force, with a full prohibition on LNG imports taking effect in early 2027, followed by pipeline gas in the autumn of that year.
The bloc-wide move will mandate member states to verify the origin of imported gas and prepare national diversification plans by March 1, 2026.
Violators will face penalties: fines of at least 2.5 million euros ($3 million) for individuals; at least 40 million euros ($47 million) for companies; or up to 3.5% of a company’s total worldwide annual turnover, or 300% of the estimated transaction value.
The announcement follows an October 2025 decision by the EU to phase out all Russian fossil fuels by the end of 2027, with the ban on LNG to take place even before that deadline.
While the European bloc decreased imports of Russian gas by 75% between 2021 and 2025, it remains Moscow's leading buyer of both pipeline gas and LNG.
Photo: Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Image
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