European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared Wednesday that the EU will completely end Russian fossil fuel imports by the close of 2027, framing the decision as a crucial move to undermine Russia’s war effort and reinforce European energy independence.
Speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg during a session marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, von der Leyen said the EU had already slashed its Russian fossil fuel spending from €12 billion per month at the start of the Ukraine war to just €1.8 billion today. She stressed the need for a final push, stating, “The era of Russian fossil fuels in Europe is coming to an end.”
The European Commission’s new roadmap includes a full ban on new contracts with Russia and halts to spot market imports by the end of 2025. Remaining imports of pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia will be phased out by 2027. Von der Leyen praised EU progress in diversification, noting Russian gas dependency has fallen from 45% to 13%, and oil imports have dropped tenfold.
Warning against any move to resume Russian energy ties, she called such steps a “historic mistake.” She also outlined three EU priorities regarding Ukraine: increased military support, cutting energy links with Russia, and accelerating Ukraine’s EU membership. Von der Leyen said Ukraine’s full integration into the EU would serve as its strongest security guarantee and confirmed efforts to open all accession clusters by 2025.
