EU Parliament approves phase out of Russian gas imports
A plan to phase out Russian gas imports by late 2027 was approved by the European Parliament on Wednesday, bringing the ban one step closer to becoming law.
- European Union
- Reuters
- Published Date: 03:12 | 17 December 2025
The European Parliament on Wednesday approved the EU's plan to phase out Russian gas imports by late 2027, clearing the penultimate legal hurdle before the ban becomes law.
The EU agreed earlier this month on legislation 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.
Lawmakers voted 500 in favour, 120 against and 32 abstained. The ban still requires formal approval by EU ministers, expected early next year. Officials expect countries to endorse the deal without changes.
The law is designed to be approved by a reinforced majority of countries, allowing it to overcome opposition from Hungary and Slovakia, who want to maintain close ties with Moscow.
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.
As of October, Russia accounted for 12% of EU gas imports, down from 45% before its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Hungary, France and Belgium are among the countries still receiving supplies.
The European Commission has said it will also propose legislation in early 2026 to phase out Russian oil imports.