EU Countries Approve a Complete Ban on Russian Gas Imports Starting 2027

The European Union will stop importing liquefied natural gas from Russia by the end of 2026 and pipeline gas by September 30, 2027. This decision makes it “legally mandatory” for all member states to stop using Russian gas, according to Reuters. Slovakia and Hungary opposed the ban, but a majority of votes was sufficient to approve the decision. Hungary intends to appeal the decision to the European Court of Justice. Before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s share of EU gas imports exceeded 40%. By 2025, the import share had decreased to 13%.