Can EU quit Russian oil and gas in a year? Germany weighs in
Photo: EU countries must stop importing oil and gas from Russia within a year (Getty Images)
Germany is keen for the European Union to phase out Russian energy by 2027. To achieve this, Berlin is investing in renewable energy sources and seeking alternatives to Russian oil and gas.
This was stated by Germany's Minister of Energy, Katharina Reich, in response to a question from an RBC-Ukraine correspondent.
"Will other EU countries be able to make the switch? We are working on this, and it is Germany's responsibility to support them along the way. It is important that we do not keep filling Russia's military coffers through continuous energy purchases," Reich said.
According to her, Germany has invested heavily in recent years to diversify its energy supply. The government expanded LNG contracts and established partnerships with other countries, including the United States, Canada, and nations in the Middle East.
"We will continue to do this. We are developing our own renewable energy sources to become more resilient. Overall, Germany will still need gas, so it is important to work with reliable partners — but definitely not with Russia," added Germany's Minister of Economy.
EU countries agree to end Russian gas imports
On October 20, the EU Council adopted a joint position on the gradual phase-out of Russian gas imports under the REPowerEU plan, which aims for a complete halt of Russian energy by January 1, 2028.
Under the draft of the new regulation, a full ban on the import of Russian pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas will take effect on January 1, 2028. Existing contracts will benefit from a transition period.
The document introduces a system of prior authorization for gas imports to prevent Russian fuel from entering the EU market under the guise of transit or mixed supplies.
Each EU country must develop a national plan to diversify its supply sources, while countries that have already completely stopped using Russian energy are exempt from this obligation.
