EU Says It Will Not Resume Russian Gas Imports Even After the War
The European Commission says EU law rules out restoring Russian fossil-fuel imports regardless of any future peace agreement or sanctions policy. The EU will phase out Russian pipeline and liquefied gas imports by the end of 2027, rejecting US proposals to resume purchases and pipeline operations.
Key points
- The EU does not plan to resume Russian gas imports even after Russia ends its war against Ukraine.
- REPowerEU was published on February 2, 2026, and applies independently of sanctions and geopolitical developments.
- Imports of Russian liquefied gas will be banned from January 1, 2027.
- Imports of Russian pipeline gas will be banned from September 30, 2027, potentially extending to November 1 under certain conditions.
- Slovakia and Hungary opposed the phaseout plan and planned legal challenges in the EU Court of Justice.
- Europe spent a record €7.3 billion on Russian Arctic gas in the first eight months of 2026.
- Ukrainian presidential office head Kyrylo Budanov rejected a US proposal to resume Russian gas and oil transit through Ukraine.
Why it matters
The EU's position effectively excludes a return to Russian gas imports under a future peace settlement unless the bloc changes its energy legislation. The dispute also highlights a widening gap between US and Russian proposals to revive Russian gas flows and the stated positions of the EU and Ukraine, while opposition from Slovakia and Hungary keeps the policy's internal institutional tensions unresolved.
What happened
The European Commission said the EU will not resume Russian gas imports even if the war ends and that current legislation prevents renewed imports of Russian fossil fuels. REPowerEU establishes a phased ban covering Russian pipeline and liquefied gas. The last Russian gas and liquefied natural gas shipments are expected to end by the end of 2027. The Commission rejected the premise that a peace agreement would automatically reopen the market, while noting that the question of restarting Nord Stream pipelines falls outside its competence. US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had proposed considering renewed Russian gas purchases and the restoration of pipelines, including transit through Ukraine. Kyrylo Budanov rejected the transit proposal, saying that Ukraine's model was Poland's rather than Belarus's.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian coverage presents the European Commission's position as a firm policy that would survive a peace agreement. It also emphasizes Ukraine's rejection of proposals to restore Russian gas transit through the country and highlights Budanov's comparison of the proposed arrangement with Belarus rather than Poland.
How international sources describe it
International coverage focuses on the institutional conflict between US or Russian proposals for renewed Russian gas flows and the EU's legally fixed phaseout. It distinguishes the European Commission's authority over gas imports from questions about reopening Nord Stream and notes the opposition and planned legal challenges from Slovakia and Hungary.
Where reporting differs
The European Commission says current EU law prevents renewed Russian fossil-fuel imports and that the phaseout is independent of sanctions and geopolitical developments. This position conflicts with US and Russian proposals to resume large-scale Russian gas purchases and pipeline operations. Slovakia and Hungary also opposed the phaseout and planned court challenges, although their objections did not prevent the plan's approval.
Background
REPowerEU was adopted in January 2026 and published in the Official Journal of the European Union on February 2, 2026. It established a gradual phaseout of Russian pipeline and liquefied gas imports, with the respective bans beginning on January 1 and September 30, 2027. A ban on short-term gas contracts with Russia entered into force on June 17, 2026. Europe spent a record €7.3 billion on Russian Arctic gas during the first eight months of 2026, exceeding its spending for all of 2025.