The European Parliament approved a plan to stop Russian gas imports by late 2027, moving closer to making this ban law.
This decision follows the EU’s commitment to cut ties with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The vote passed with 500 in favor, 120 against, and 32 abstentions, and it still needs formal approval from EU ministers early next year, which is expected to happen without changes.
The law allows a majority vote, helping to overcome opposition from Hungary and Slovakia. The EU will stop importing Russian liquefied natural gas by the end of 2026 and pipeline gas by September 2027.
Russian gas imports have dropped from 45% to 12% as of October. The European Commission plans to propose a phase-out of Russian oil imports in early 2026.
With information from Reuters
