EU attempts to stop importing Russian gas by the end of 2027 and ban new contracts this year
Brussels (AP) – The EU should stop importing Russian gas by the end of 2027 to deprive President Vladimir Putin of its income, which will help fuel his war on Ukraine.
Under detailed plans proposed next month, the European Commission will seek new natural gas contracts with Russia by the end of this year and phase out existing existing EU gas contracts by the end of 2027.
“Putin showed he didn't mind weaponizing weapons for gasoline,” said EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, who outlined the plan. “We don't want to fill his war box and support his war economy because who knows which country will be next.”
Jorgensen said that since the beginning of the Ukrainian war, the EU has completely cut coal purchases from Russia and has significantly reduced oil and gas imports, but it still had 1.8 billion euros ($2 billion) in energy revenue each month last year ($2 billion).
“I'm a little embarrassed that last year we were still fighting with friends in Ukraine, paying Russia 23 billion euros ($26 billion),” Jonson said in Strasbourg, France.
The EU said it has reduced gas imports from 45% to 19% and oil from 27% to 3% from its pre-war levels. But that still makes it Russia’s largest gas customer, and pipelines in the Black Sea, Belarus and Turkey are operating, according to the Energy and Clean Air Think Tank.
Ten countries continue to import energy from Russia. Those who still take gas through the pipeline include Greece, Hungary and Slovakia. Austria, Poland and the Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – phased out their imports.
Hungary and Slovakia – whose leaders are considered Putin's closest ally in Europe – have blocked EU military aid to Ukraine and will surely oppose the commission's gas plan.
However, the EU's executives seem determined not to let them veto the plan and are ready to propose a system that only needs to be recognized by about two-thirds of the 27 member states, and may even be recognized by the European Parliament.
Jorgensen said that by the end of the year, every country must submit plans to show that they intend to stop importing Russian energy and will ban existing spot market contracts, which will eliminate one-third of the imports.
He acknowledged that the plan would face challenges, but said it would introduce challenges “in a step-by-step, coordinated way” if the EU support is needed in the context of those countries that have been hit hardest.
“Russia is a threat to all of us. So we have to take action,” Jorgensen said.
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McNeil contributed to the report in Barcelona, Spain.
