Overview

• The European Commission presented a package proposing a full prohibition on Russian liquefied natural gas imports starting Jan. 1, 2027, moving up the previously planned end‑2027 phaseout.
• Ursula von der Leyen urged countries to "turn off the tap" on LNG after her call with President Donald Trump, saying the EU has prepared by diversifying supplies and cutting fossil‑fuel exposure.
• The plan expands the blacklist of Russia’s shadow fleet by 118 vessels, taking the total to more than 560 tankers used to evade oil restrictions.
• Major energy firms Rosneft and Gazprom Neft would face full transaction bans, alongside new export curbs and listings on 45 companies supporting Russia’s military industry.
• Sanctions also target financial and circumvention channels by adding banks in Russia and third countries, crypto platforms, and oil buyers and refiners in places including China, while Hungary and Slovakia signal resistance in the Council review.