The Council of the European Union has approved a ban on the import of liquefied natural gas from Russia starting January 1, 2027. The ban on pipeline gas will take effect on September 30, 2027.
According to representatives of the European Council's press service, "this decision is an important step towards the implementation of the REPowerEU program aimed at reducing the European Union's dependence on Russian energy."
This decision was made during a ministerial meeting on Monday, despite objections from Slovakia and Hungary, as reported by Reuters.
The initial draft of this plan was presented in early December 2025. According to this document, in rare cases, EU member states will be able to extend the use of Russian gas until October 31, 2027, if their storage levels fall below the established threshold.
