EU, Russian gas imports continue to decline even after the war ends
The European Commission said the EU will not resume imports of Russian gas even after the war ends, citing legislation that phases them out by the end of 2027. The REPowerEU regulation operates independently of sanctions and geopolitical developments, while proposals to restore large-scale Russian gas purchases or transit routes face the bloc’s current legal framework.
핵심 요약
- The EU intends to reduce imports of Russian gas to zero by the end of 2027.
- REPowerEU bans Russian liquefied natural gas imports from the start of 2027.
- The regulation imposes a full ban on Russian pipeline gas imports in autumn 2027.
- The EU published the REPowerEU regulation in the Official Journal on 2 February 2026.
- A ban on short-term gas contracts with Russia took effect in the EU on 17 June 2026.
- Slovakia and Hungary voted against the restriction plan and were reported to be considering legal challenges.
- Europe spent a reported €7.3 billion on Russian Arctic gas in the first eight months of 2026, exceeding its spending for all of 2025.
왜 중요한가
The EU’s position means that a future peace settlement would not automatically reopen the European market to Russian gas. The fixed phaseout timetable also means that proposals to resume Russian gas flows or revive related pipelines conflict with the bloc’s current legal framework, while the restrictions remain in force independently of sanctions policy and geopolitical changes.
무슨 일이 있었나
On 28 October, the European Commission said the EU would not resume imports of Russian gas even after the war in Ukraine ends. Paula Pinho said current legislation does not permit the bloc to restore imports of Russian fossil fuels, while Anna-Kaisa Itkonen stressed that REPowerEU operates independently of sanctions and geopolitical events. The framework provides for a full ban on Russian liquefied natural gas imports from the start of 2027 and on pipeline gas imports in autumn 2027. European Commission spokespersons also said the question of possible Nord Stream operations falls outside the Commission’s competence. Separately, US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner proposed considering renewed Russian gas purchases and the restoration of transit infrastructure, including routes through Ukraine. Kyrylo Budanov rejected the implication of that model, saying Ukraine’s approach is not Belarus’s but Poland’s.
우크라이나 매체의 시각
Ukrainian coverage emphasizes that the EU’s rejection of Russian gas is firmly established in law and is expected to outlast the war. Reporting centers on Ukraine’s security interests and contrasts the EU position with US proposals involving renewed Russian gas purchases or transit through Ukraine. It also highlights the possible energy-policy implications for Kyiv, including pipeline transit and potential dividends.
국제 매체의 시각
European Commission statements focus on the legal basis of the phaseout, its timetable and its separation from sanctions and geopolitical developments. International coverage contrasts this position with US peace-related proposals to restore Russian gas purchases and transit infrastructure. The Commission says any possible operation of the Nord Stream pipelines falls outside its competence.
보도가 엇갈리는 지점
US-mediated proposals contemplated renewed large-scale European purchases of Russian gas and possibly restoring transit routes, while the European Commission said current EU law does not permit resuming Russian fossil-fuel imports. One Ukrainian account also described the EU position as a firm consensus that Russian gas purchases are effectively closed, whereas the Commission’s detailed statements describe a legislated phaseout with a defined deadline.
배경
The European Parliament adopted legislation for ending Russian gas imports by autumn 2027 in December 2025, and EU countries approved the restriction plan in January 2026. The REPowerEU regulation was published on 2 February 2026, and a ban on short-term gas contracts with Russia took effect on 17 June. Slovakia and Hungary voted against the plan and were reported to be considering legal challenges.