MEPs debate on on phasing out Russian natural gas imports

MEPs are set to approve a new law banning imports of Russian natural gas, to protect the EU’s energy security from weaponisation by the Russian Federation.

The draft law was provisionally agreed between Parliament and Council negotiators on 3 December 2025. Spot-market Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) will be banned from the EU once the regulation enters into force in early 2026. Pipeline gas imports will be phased out by 30 September 2027. The new law also establishes penalties for member states to enforce against operators in the event of infringements.

Background

This legislative proposal comes in response to Russia’s systematic weaponisation of energy supplies, a pattern documented over nearly two decades and escalating with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The 2022 invasion came with further deliberate market manipulation, including Gazprom’s unprecedented underfilling of EU storage facilities and abrupt halts to pipelines, causing energy prices to spike to up to eight times their pre-crisis levels.

EU - Russia (T)

VAIDERE, Inese (EPP, LV)

NIINISTÖ, Ville (Greens/EFA, FI)

EP Plenary debate on phasing out Russian natural gas imports

EP Plenary session - Phasing out Russian natural gas imports, improving monitoring of potential energy dependencies and amending Regulation

This news item covers key moments from the plenary debate on phasing out Russian natural gas imports, as MEPs and the Commission framed the legislation as a strategic, political, and moral response to Russia’s weaponisation of energy. MEPs underlined that the EU has already begun replacing Russian gas and described the ban as a historic step to end blackmail, manipulation, and long-term dependency, while stressing the need for a stable legal framework beyond sanctions. At the same time, concerns were raised about the higher costs of liquefied natural gas and the risk of passing inflationary pressures on to citizens and businesses. Several voices also warned against replacing one dependency with another, calling instead for stronger investment in renewables, energy efficiency, and European energy sovereignty.

Phasing out Russian natural gas imports: extracts from the debate

MEPs debate on phasing out Russian natural gas imports. This legislative proposal comes in response to Russia’s systematic weaponisation of energy supplies, a pattern documented over nearly two decades and escalating with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The 2022 invasion came with further deliberate market manipulation, including Gazprom’s unprecedented underfilling of EU storage facilities and abrupt halts to pipelines, causing energy prices to spike to up to eight times their pre-crisis levels.

Phasing out Russian natural gas imports, improving monitoring of potential energy dependencies and amending Regulation: MEPs debate (part 1)

Opening statements by Ville NIINISTÖ (Greens/EFA, FI), Rapporteur, Inese VAIDERE (EPP, LV), Rapporteurs, Dan JØRGENSEN, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, and Paulius SAUDARGAS (EPP, LT), IMCO representative on phasing out Russian natural gas imports. This legislative proposal comes in response to Russia’s systematic weaponisation of energy supplies, a pattern documented over nearly two decades and escalating with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The 2022 invasion came with further deliberate market manipulation, including Gazprom’s unprecedented underfilling of EU storage facilities and abrupt halts to pipelines, causing energy prices to spike to up to eight times their pre-crisis levels.

Phasing out Russian natural gas imports, improving monitoring of potential energy dependencies and amending Regulation: Opening statements

Closing of the debate by Dan JØRGENSEN, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Ville NIINISTÖ (Greens/EFA, FI), and Inese VAIDERE (EPP, LV), Rapporteurs. This legislative proposal comes in response to Russia’s systematic weaponisation of energy supplies, a pattern documented over nearly two decades and escalating with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The 2022 invasion came with further deliberate market manipulation, including Gazprom’s unprecedented underfilling of EU storage facilities and abrupt halts to pipelines, causing energy prices to spike to up to eight times their pre-crisis levels.

Phasing out Russian natural gas imports, improving monitoring of potential energy dependencies and amending Regulation: closing statements by Dan JØRGENSEN, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, , Ville NIINISTÖ and Inese VAIDERE, Rapporteurs

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