EU rules out return of Russian gas and prepares new blow to oil
Photo: gas transportation infrastructure (Getty Images)
Discussions about a possible return of Russian gas have received a clear response. At the same time, the EU is already working on the next stage of restrictions, according to ANSA.
During the daily briefing, European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen stated that the resumption of Russian gas imports to the European Union is no longer being considered.
"If the question concerns the resumption of Russian gas imports to the European Union, then no, it is not possible," Itkonen said.
According to her, EU legislation is already in place that excludes a return to the previous model of Russian gas supply.
In particular, this month a ban on gas transportation via pipelines under short-term contracts came into force. Two more stages of restrictions will take effect in January and September next year.
"We have also clearly stated at the political level that we will not return to Russian energy sources; on the contrary, we are moving without regret toward their ban and diversification," the spokesperson stressed.
At the same time, the European Commission confirmed that work is underway on the next stage of energy restrictions, which will concern Russian oil.
Itkonen noted that a ban on Russian oil is "part of the broader REPowerEU strategy."
"Oil will be included in this strategy; work on this is ongoing, and we hope to be able to present a proposal in due time," she added.
EU refusal of Russian energy resources
The European Union plans to fully phase out Russian gas imports by the end of 2027.
At the same time, this initiative is causing debate among energy sector representatives. In particular, the head of the Spanish port of Bilbao, Iván Jiménez, stated that a rapid withdrawal from Russian LNG could make the EU overly dependent on US supplies, so the process should be gradual.
Meanwhile, the Baltic states and Poland have called on the European Commission to present as soon as possible a proposal for a phased ban on Russian oil imports.
In their view, energy exports continue to finance Russia’s war against Ukraine, and the risks of a large-scale energy crisis feared due to the situation in the Middle East have not materialized.
