Officially… the European Parliament votes to ban the import of Russian gas

YNP:

The European Parliament on Wednesday approved the European Union’s plan to phase out Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, removing the penultimate legal hurdle before the ban becomes law.

Earlier this month, the European Union approved legislation to cut ties with Russia, Europe’s former main gas supplier, after pledging to do so following the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine in 2022.

Around 500 representatives voted in favor of the decision, 120 against and 32 abstained. The ban still needs formal approval by European Union ministers, with it expected to be issued early next year. Officials expect countries to approve the deal without amendments.

The law aims to gain approval from a strengthened majority of countries, allowing it to bypass opposition from Hungary and Slovakia, which want to maintain close ties with Moscow.

Under the terms of the agreement, the European Union will stop importing Russian liquefied natural gas by the end of 2026 and pipeline gas by the end of September 2027.

Last October, Russia accounted for 12% of the European Union’s gas imports, up from 45% before the start of the war with Ukraine in 2022. Hungary, France and Belgium are among the countries still receiving supplies.

The European Commission said it would also propose legislation in early 2026 to phase out imports of Russian oil.