Luxembourg: The European Union (EU) has moved to end all imports of Russian natural gas by the end of 2027, following a majority vote by member states during a meeting of European energy ministers in Luxembourg. The measure is aimed at depriving Moscow of a major source of revenue used to fund its war in Ukraine. Denmark, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, aims to secure final approval for the ban before the start of the coming year.

According to Oman News Agency, the proposal faced strong opposition from Slovakia and Hungary, two landlocked nations heavily dependent on Russian energy. However, their objections failed to gather the majority needed to block the decision. The EU has been working to eliminate its dependency on Russian fossil fuels since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022. While the bloc has already completely halted imports of Russian oil, it continues to rely on Russian natural gas supplies. Russia’s share of the EU’s total gas imports has declined significantly, falling from 45% in 2021 to 19% in 2024.