EU Commits to Zero Russian Gas Imports by Autumn 2027

The European Commission confirmed on Wednesday that the bloc will stop importing Russian gas by the autumn of 2027, regardless of whether a peace deal ends the war in Ukraine. Officials rejected the idea that the energy phase-out is a temporary measure tied to the conflict, stating that the rules are already embedded in existing law.

Paola Pinho, the Commission's coordinating spokesperson, addressed the issue at a media briefing. She emphasized that the EU has absorbed the economic consequences of energy dependence. "They have been weaponised and we have been paying the price," Pinho said. She added that the lesson on the cost of that reliance applies "with or without war."

Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, the Commission's spokesperson for energy, clarified the legal basis for the deadline. The ban originates from the REPowerEU regulation, which operates independently from sanctions packages. "The legislation is already in force, it's been implemented," Itkonen said. She noted that the law is not contingent on geopolitical events or the status of sanctions.

Under the current schedule, the EU will cease all Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports in early 2027. Pipeline gas will follow, with the final shipments required to conclude by the end of 2027. The regulation establishing these timelines was adopted in January 2026.

Itkonen was asked if the Nord Stream pipelines could resume operations after the war. She stated that the decision is outside the Commission's authority. "It's not for us to decide whether it will be functioning in the European Union or not," she said. The question gained traction after reports indicated that Russian and US officials, including US Presidential Envoy Jared Kushner, discussed involving a US investor in restoring the pipelines.

The Commission's firm stance arrives while Europe continues to buy Russian energy. The continent spent a record €7.3 billion on Russian Arctic gas in the first eight months of 2026. That figure exceeds the total expenditure for all of 2025. The President of the European Commission has reiterated the goal of reducing Russian gas imports to zero by the end of 2027.