'Misunderstood': Austria clarifies position after remarks on supporting Russian gas imports

Austria, which had imported Russian energy resources for nearly 60 years, switched this year to importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) via Germany.

However, on Monday, June 16, during a meeting of energy ministers in Luxembourg, Austrian State Secretary for Energy stated that gas imports from Russia could potentially resume in the future.

"When the war ends, of course, that will have to be taken into account," Zehetner said.

This was one of the first times — aside from Slovakia and Hungary — that a country had openly suggested resuming gas imports from Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

However, on Tuesday, as the European Commission was set to present a concrete legislative strategy to phase out Russian gas, Austria's Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism denied that the country was considering a full resumption of imports from state-owned Gazprom.

"The widespread claim that Austria wants to resume importing Russian gas after the war — let alone now — is simply false," the ministry stated.

EU gas ban sends the right signal, Austria says

In its follow-up statement, Austria's Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism clarified that an EU ban on Russian gas would send 'the right signal' to Moscow. However, it also emphasized that energy policy must ensure 'affordable energy prices in the future.'

Ahead of the legislative proposal, Vienna raised several questions, including:

• whether alternative infrastructure will be ready by 2027,

• how a full embargo would affect electricity and gas prices,

• how to ensure gas flows cannot be traced back to Russia.

Zehetner's office also asked what options would remain open to the EU after a possible end to the war.

The EU wants to permanently abandon Russian gas

Yesterday, June 17, the European Commission presented a legislative proposal to gradually phase out imports of Russian gas and oil by the end of 2027.

The issue of Russian gas supplies became strategically important for the EU after the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, Russian fuel has been gradually pushed out of the European energy market.

This spring, the EU presented a roadmap to ban Russian gas imports by the end of 2027.

This roadmap obligated the EU to propose a ban on new contracts for Russian gas imports and short-term agreements by the end of the current year — in June.

That is what happened. In particular, today, June 18, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen announced that the European Union never plans to return to Russian gas. He explained why this would not happen even after peace is restored in Ukraine.

At the same time, it also became known that the proposal to permanently abandon Russian gas provoked a negative reaction not only from Hungary and Slovakia, but also from Austria.