BRUSSELS: European Union countries on Monday gave final approval to a law banning Russian gas imports by late 2027, making the bloc's pledge to sever energy ties with its former top supplier legally binding, nearly four years after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ministers from EU countries approved the law at a meeting in Brussels, though Slovakia and Hungary voted against, while Bulgaria abstained. Hungary said it would challenge the law at the European Court of Justice.
The ban was designed to pass under a reinforced majority voting system, allowing it to overcome opposition from Hungary and Slovakia, which remain heavily reliant on Russian energy imports and want to maintain close ties with Moscow.
Under the agreement, the EU will halt imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) by end-2026 and pipeline gas by Sept. 30, 2027. The law allows the deadline to shift to Nov. 1, 2027 at the latest if a country is struggling to fill gas storage sites with non-Russian supplies ahead of winter.
Russia supplied more than 40% of the EU's gas before 2022. That share fell to around 13% in 2025, according to the latest available EU data. But some EU countries continue to pay Moscow for oil, pipeline gas and LNG, undermining their efforts to support Ukraine and restrict funding for Russia's wartime economy.
Last month, the EU's five biggest importers spent 1.4 billion euros ($1.66 billion) on Russian energy, mostly gas and LNG, according to data from the non-profit Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Hungary was the biggest buyer, followed by France and Belgium.
Ministers from EU countries approved the law at a meeting in Brussels, though Slovakia and Hungary voted against, while Bulgaria abstained. Hungary said it would challenge the law at the European Court of Justice.
The ban was designed to pass under a reinforced majority voting system, allowing it to overcome opposition from Hungary and Slovakia, which remain heavily reliant on Russian energy imports and want to maintain close ties with Moscow.
Under the agreement, the EU will halt imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) by end-2026 and pipeline gas by Sept. 30, 2027. The law allows the deadline to shift to Nov. 1, 2027 at the latest if a country is struggling to fill gas storage sites with non-Russian supplies ahead of winter.
Russia supplied more than 40% of the EU's gas before 2022. That share fell to around 13% in 2025, according to the latest available EU data. But some EU countries continue to pay Moscow for oil, pipeline gas and LNG, undermining their efforts to support Ukraine and restrict funding for Russia's wartime economy.
Last month, the EU's five biggest importers spent 1.4 billion euros ($1.66 billion) on Russian energy, mostly gas and LNG, according to data from the non-profit Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Hungary was the biggest buyer, followed by France and Belgium.
