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Gas consumption from Russia fell to 13% in October 2025. On October 20, the Council of the European Union approved a gradual phase-out of Russian gas imports starting January 1, 2026. EU countries will not resume imports of Russian gas even after a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia is signed, said EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen.
Following a meeting of EU energy ministers in Luxembourg, Jørgensen called the agreement “historic.”
“This means that even after a peace agreement — which we, of course, hope will come sooner rather than later — we will still not import Russian energy,” he said.
According to the commissioner, the share of Russian gas consumed in the EU dropped from 45% in 2022 to about 13% in October 2025. He emphasized that EU countries should not import “a single molecule of Russian energy in the future,” calling it a “very, very important signal.”
The newly approved regulation provides for a gradual cessation of Russian gas imports. Existing contracts will have a transition period:
Short-term contracts signed before June 17, 2025, may be extended until June 17, 2026.
Long-term contracts can last until January 1, 2028.
Any amendments to existing contracts will only be permitted for strictly defined operational reasons and cannot increase volumes.
The EU’s phased sanction strategy reflects the economic strain on both sides — while sanctions hurt European economies, they also give Russia time to adapt. As analysts note, this often reduces the expected impact, prompting the EU to consider new measures to maintain pressure.
