Finance
EU countries' ambassadors approve phase out of Russian gas imports
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 10, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 10, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
EU ambassadors approve plan to phase out Russian gas imports by 2027, pending formal approval from ministers and Parliament.
BRUSSELS, Dec 10 (Reuters) - European Union countries' ambassadors on Wednesday greenlit the bloc's plan to phase out Russian gas imports by late 2027, a spokesperson for Denmark's EU presidency said, clearing one of the final legal hurdles before the ban can pass into law.
The EU struck a deal last week on a law to cut ties with Europe's former top gas supplier Russia, having vowed to do so after Moscow's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Under the agreement, the EU will halt Russian liquefied natural gas imports by the end of 2026 and pipeline gas by the end of September 2027.
The Russian gas ban still requires formal approval at a meeting of EU countries' ministers, and by the European Parliament, before it passes into law.
The Parliament will vote on it next week, while EU ministers are expected to formally approve the ban early next year. EU officials expect both to approve the deal with a comfortable majority, despite opposition from Hungary and Slovakia.
(Reporting by Kate Abnett, editing by Louise Breusch Rasmussen)
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas that has been cooled to a liquid state for ease of storage and transport. It is primarily composed of methane and is used as a cleaner alternative to other fossil fuels.
A legal hurdle refers to a legal obstacle or challenge that must be overcome before a law or regulation can be enacted or enforced.
Pipeline gas refers to natural gas that is transported through pipelines from production sites to consumers. It is a primary source of energy for heating and electricity generation.
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