The European Union is looking to accelerate the gradual disposal of Russian gas after Trump’s payment

On Friday, the European Union suggested a ban on Russian gas imports as part of a new set of sanctions aimed at the issuance of the Moscow war after pressure from President Trump.

Under the measures provided for approval by the member states of the bloc, the European Commission said it aims to gradually get rid of LNG purchases (LNG) from Russia by January 2027 – one year before the plan.

“The economy of the war in Russia is supported by revenue from fossil fuel. We want to reduce these revenues. So we are banning Russian liquefied natural gas imports to European markets,” said Ursula von der Lynn, the committee chairman Ursula von der Layen. “It is time to stop the tap.”

The proposal comes at a time when the United States is pressuring the European Union to end the imports of fossil fuel from Russia, and the bloc, in turn, is to persuade Mr. Trump to take a more strict position on Moscow because of its invasion of Ukraine. Mr. Trump has so far stuck to increased pressure on the Russian president Vladimir Putin But he said last week that he was ready to do this if the allies stop buying Russian oil and hit China with tariffs.

Von Der Leyen did not provide full details of the sanctions package, but officials told Reuters news that it would also target Chinese shock refineries, special economic areas and Russian and middle Asia banks.

“We are now following those who nurture the war of Russia, who buy oil in violation of sanctions,” said von der Lynne, according to Reuters. “We target the refineries, oil traders, petrochemical companies in the third countries, including China.”

The European Union consisting of 27 countries has already banned most of Russian oil under previous rounds of sanctions, reducing the share it imports from 29 % in early 2021 to 2 % by mid -2015. Only Hungary and Slovakia, friendly to Moscow and Mr. Trump, still buys it.

Multiple rounds of European sanctions imposed since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022 to get rid of its war chest with everything of freezing assets to an almost complete ban on the import of Russian oil.

Although contracts of European dependency were paid, Russia still provides 19 % of the European Union gas in 2024 – a decrease from 45 % before the war. This is partly to an increase in the purchase of LNG (LNG) that is transported by the sea, which partially compensates for a sharp decrease in pipeline imports.