The European Commission has announced plans to prohibit European terminals from receiving liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Russian Federation, starting January 1, 2026. According to the new rules, terminals in EU countries will not be able to provide services to Russian LNG suppliers, which is part of Brussels’ strategy for a gradual complete phase-out of Russian energy resources by the end of 2027.
This is reported by Finway
Details of the Ban and Transition Period
A transition period until June 17, 2026, has been established for existing short-term contracts for the import of Russian LNG. Long-term contracts must be terminated by December 31, 2027. Additionally, the European Commission proposes a complete ban on entering into new gas supply agreements with the Russian Federation by the end of 2025.
Strengthening Gas Import Controls and Member States’ Reactions
To ensure effective implementation of the new restrictions, European energy companies that import gas will be required to declare the country of origin of the LNG, as well as disclose details of their contracts, including duration and volumes of supply. This is intended to help monitor compliance with sanction requirements and prevent circumvention.
At the same time, not all EU member states support such measures. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated that his country, along with Slovakia, will oppose the restriction on energy resource imports from the Russian Federation, considering it a “gross violation of our sovereignty.”
“Gross violation of our sovereignty.”
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine until March 2025, the European Union imported Russian LNG worth €32.7 billion. In comparison, the volume of LNG imports from the United States during the same period amounted to €95.1 billion, indicating a gradual reorientation of the EU energy market towards alternative supply sources.