Europe Moves to Ban Russian Fossil Fuels, Citing Push for ‘Energy Independence’

In a landmark move to end one of Europe’s longest-standing energy dependencies, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on X that the bloc has formally decided to “close the tap” on Russian fossil fuels for good.

The declaration followed a breakthrough agreement between EU member-state negotiators and the European Parliament to phase out all imports of Russian gas by autumn 2027. The deal—reached after marathon overnight talks—is being hailed as one of the EU’s most significant decisions since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Although Europe has sharply reduced its reliance on Moscow over the past three years, Russian pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) continue to reach the continent, generating billions in revenue for the Kremlin. Ending that remaining flow has posed both political and logistical hurdles.

EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen called the agreement a historic turning point. The deal allows European companies to invoke “force majeure” when cancelling existing supply contracts, protecting them from legal challenges once the ban comes into force.

The agreement also instructs the European Commission to devise a plan to end Russian oil imports to Hungary and Slovakia by late 2027—two nations that have so far benefited from exemptions under earlier sanctions. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has repeatedly pushed back against EU efforts to cut energy ties with Moscow.

Despite the sharp drop in dependence—from 45% of EU gas imports in 2021 to 19% in 2024—Russia continues to rank among Europe’s major LNG suppliers, AFP reported.