Overview

• Energy ministers meeting in Luxembourg endorsed a Council position that would bar new Russian gas contracts from January 2026, end short‑term deals by 17 June 2026, and terminate long‑term contracts by 1 January 2028.
• The draft covers both pipeline gas and LNG, with exemptions for pipeline deliveries tied to long‑term contracts to landlocked countries and an emergency clause allowing the Commission to suspend the ban if supply is threatened.
• Hungary and Slovakia opposed the measure but were outvoted under qualified‑majority rules, and both pressed for support due to their reliance on Russian gas.
• The text now goes to negotiations with the European Parliament, where lawmakers seek earlier end dates and tougher enforcement, including fines of at least 5% of an importer's global annual turnover for violations.
• Russian gas supplied about 19% of EU imports last year and roughly 13% this year, and officials expect only limited price effects as increased LNG from suppliers such as the United States and Norway offsets volumes.