Finance
EU Should Reconsider Its Plans to Ban Imports of Russian Gas, Eni CEO Says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 13, 2026
1 min readLast updated: April 13, 2026
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Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi urges the EU to reconsider its 2027 ban on Russian gas imports, cautioning that replacing approximately 20 bcm of Russian gas will be challenging for power generation flexibility, particularly amid heightened geopolitical instability triggered by the Iran conflict.
Eni CEO Urges EU to Rethink 2027 Russian Gas Import Ban Due to Energy Fears
Concerns Over EU's Russian Gas Ban and Energy Security
MILAN, April 13 (Reuters) - The European Union should reconsider its plans to progressively ban imports of Russian gas from the start of 2027, Claudio Descalzi, the CEO of Italian energy group Eni said.
CEO Claudio Descalzi's Remarks
In an address to an event organised by the co-ruling League party on Sunday, Descalzi was quoted by Italian news agencies as saying it was unclear how the bloc could replace 20 billion cubic metres of gas from Russia, which provides vital flexibility to the output of power stations.
Details of the Russian Gas Ban
Russia is facing a European ban on Russian LNG imports on short-term contracts from April 25 and on long-term contracts from January 1, 2027.
Wider Energy Supply Disruptions
Descalzi said that in terms of the disruption of energy supplies, the conflict in Iran is "the most important event of the last 40 years."
Article Credits
(writing by Cristina Carlevaro, editing by Alvise Armellini)
Key Takeaways
- •Descalzi emphasized that gas—unlike renewables or Italian nuclear—is vital for maintaining flexibility in power plants, and a rigid 2027 ban risks undermining energy resilience.
- •EU’s phase‑out plan prohibits short‑term Russian LNG from April 25, 2026 and long‑term contracts from January 1, 2027, with pipeline bans slated for later in 2027, though member states must submit diversification plans by March 1, 2026. (consilium.europa.eu)
- •Recent turmoil linked to the Iran conflict has intensified energy security concerns, reinforcing Descalzi's argument that absolute timelines may lack the needed flexibility amid global instability. (en.wikipedia.org)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about EU should reconsider its plans to ban imports of Russian gas, Eni CEO says
1Why does the Eni CEO urge the EU to reconsider the Russian gas ban?
Claudio Descalzi warns it's unclear how the EU would replace 20 billion cubic metres of Russian gas, which is vital for power station flexibility.
2When is the EU planning to ban Russian gas imports?
The EU plans to progressively ban Russian gas from 2027, with an earlier ban on LNG imports via short-term contracts starting April 25.
3How much Russian gas does the EU currently import?
The European Union imports approximately 20 billion cubic metres of gas from Russia.
4What did Descalzi say about the conflict in Iran’s impact on energy?
Descalzi called the conflict in Iran 'the most important event of the last 40 years' for energy supply disruption.