Von der Leyen tells EU parliament energy sanctions on Russia will stay until war ends
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, addressing the European Parliament, declared that Russia is not a reliable energy supplier and that EU energy sanctions against Russia will remain in force until Russia ends its war against Ukraine. Her statement is a direct rebuff to US administration proposals to resume Russian gas supplies to Europe as part of a potential Ukraine peace deal.
Key points
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in the European Parliament that EU energy sanctions on Russia will remain in place until Russia stops the war.
- Von der Leyen called Russia an unreliable energy supplier that can weaponise energy dependence at any moment.
- The Trump administration is proposing or considering resuming Russian gas supplies to Europe, including restoring Nord Stream, as part of a potential Ukraine peace deal.
- From January to September, EU ports received 12.18 million tonnes of Russian LNG, up 9.5% year-on-year, according to reported figures.
- American and Russian officials have discussed involving US investors in restoring Nord Stream, with Jared Kushner and Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev participating in the talks.
- Germany and other European countries are reported to be resolutely opposed to plans to restore Nord Stream.
- In October, President Donald Trump announced an agreement with Russia easing sanctions on diesel fuel imports until April 2027.
Why it matters
Von der Leyen's parliamentary statement is the clearest top-level EU rebuff yet to US-led discussions about using Russian gas flows as a bargaining chip in any peace settlement. It sharpens a transatlantic disagreement that goes beyond diplomacy over Nord Stream into the core question of how Western leverage over Moscow is constructed, and it puts on the record the EU position Washington would have to overcome. The contrast with reported LNG import volumes shows the policy is contested inside Europe as well as across the Atlantic.
What happened
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the European Parliament and declared that Russia is not a reliable energy supplier and that EU energy sanctions against Russia will remain in force until Russia ends its war against Ukraine. She framed Russia's earlier cutoff of gas supplies to Europe as a lesson Europe will not forget, and warned that Moscow can weaponise energy dependence at any moment. She added that the EU will not lift sanctions on Russian fossil fuels even though the United States has reached an agreement with Moscow on easing restrictions on diesel fuel imports until April 2027. Her remarks came as the administration of US President Donald Trump is reported to be proposing to resume Russian gas supplies to Europe, including through the restoration of Nord Stream, as part of a potential peace deal. According to the New York Times, US representatives have also proposed to Kyiv discussions on reopening pipelines that previously carried Russian gas into the EU. Talks on restoring Nord Stream have involved Jared Kushner and Russian presidential adviser Kirill Dmitriev, with reported discussion of US investor participation. The previous week the head of the European Commission had already stated that the bloc will not lift any sanctions until Russia stops the war. The speech also followed the October 15–16 European Council meeting.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets led with von der Leyen's statement as a direct rebuff to Washington's proposals to reopen Russian gas flows, presenting EU energy sanctions as a response to Russia's war against Ukraine. They noted the September EU decision to lift restrictions on two Russian oligarchs — a compromise that extended other sanctions longer than the usual six months — and flagged Kyiv's criticism of that relaxation as evidence of Ukrainian sensitivity to any perceived loosening of pressure on Moscow.
Where reporting differs
The most direct clash is between the Trump administration, which is proposing or considering the restoration of Russian gas supplies to Europe — including Nord Stream — as part of a potential peace deal, and the European Commission, which states that EU energy sanctions will stay in place until Russia ends the war and which European officials publicly oppose. A second gap runs through the EU's own posture: while von der Leyen says the energy sanctions remain in force, reported trade data show EU ports accepted 12.18 million tonnes of Russian LNG from January to September, 9.5% more than in the previous period. A third disagreement is rhetorical: Trump has defended the US deal easing sanctions on Russian diesel fuel by pointing to EU purchases of Russian fossil fuels, a framing at odds with the EU's self-presentation as having cut energy ties with Russia.
Background
The EU imposed energy sanctions on Russia in response to its war against Ukraine. Russia previously cut gas supplies to Europe, an episode von der Leyen explicitly cited. The Trump administration has been exploring restoration of Russian gas pipelines, including Nord Stream, with reported US investor involvement and participation by Jared Kushner and Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev. In October Trump announced an agreement with Russia easing sanctions on diesel fuel imports until April 2027, which he defended by citing EU purchases of Russian fossil fuels. In September the EU lifted restrictions on two Russian oligarchs as a compromise that allowed other sanctions to be extended beyond the usual six months — a step that drew criticism from Kyiv.