Brussels Fast-Tracks Russian LNG Ban to 2027 in Tough New Sanctions Push

The European Commission is about to swing a much bigger hammer at Moscow’s war chest. On Friday, Brussels tables its 19th Russia sanctions package — headlined by a full ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) starting Jan. 1, 2027, a year earlier than previously planned.

It’s a big step. Roughly 15% of the EU’s LNG still comes from Russia, worth €500–700 million a month. Until now, gas had been the hardest energy lever to pull because any ban needs unanimous backing from all 27 member states — and countries like Hungary and Slovakia have been reluctant to go cold turkey.

Two drivers: US pressure and security shocks. After European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke with President Donald Trump this week, officials say accelerating the LNG exit became a “priority.” Meanwhile, Russian drone incursions over Poland and a strike on an EU delegation office in Kyiv hardened political resolve across the bloc.

There’s also a market tailwind: analysts expect the global gas market to tip into surplus in the second half of next year, reducing the risk of supply squeezes and price spikes as Europe phases out Russian cargoes.

EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen summed it up: the message to Moscow is that Europe won’t be weaponized or blackmailed with energy again.

Plenty. The draft aims to close more of the loopholes that have kept cash flowing to the Kremlin:

• Shadow fleet squeeze: more tankers added to the EU blacklist (the tally already tops 560), hobbling Russia’s opaque oil logistics.
• Crypto & finance clampdown: new measures against cryptocurrency platforms, more Russian and Central Asian banks, and third-country conduits used to dodge sanctions.
• Dual-use choke points: targeting Chinese refineries, special economic zones, and a customs loophole Moscow has used to source gear with military applications.

The LNG ban lines up with — and pulls forward — elements of REPowerEU, the bloc’s plan to end Russian fossil imports by end-2027. Parliament negotiators even want to drag pipeline gas forward by a year too.

The Commission says the LNG prohibition could be lifted if the war ends, but long-term policy tracks to make Russian energy a nonstarter in Europe will continue (coal is already gone; a proposal to wean off Russian nuclear fuel is coming “as fast as possible”).

Because sanctions require unanimity, expect a familiar showdown with Budapest and Bratislava. Still, the politics have shifted, and the market math is more forgiving than in 2022.

Winners, losers, next steps

• Winners: S. energy, most likely. Brussels and Washington signed a July trade deal guiding $750 billion in EU purchases of American fossil fuels and nuclear power over three years. Jørgensen says he’s already talking with US counterparts about facilitating more LNG sales into Europe.
• Losers: The Kremlin’s war economy, which still leans heavily on fossil revenues.
• Timing: The package lands Friday; leaders could approve some version as soon as next month. Given the pre-negotiation, the core is likely to survive — but watch for carve-outs and grace periods.

Brussels is done tiptoeing around gas. If member states sign off, Russia’s LNG lifeline into Europe ends Jan. 1, 2027 — and the EU’s long break-up with Russian energy moves from promises to dates on a calendar.

Reuters, Bloomberg, the New York Times, and CNN contributed to this report.