EU moves to speed up ban on Russian gas imports in latest sanctions package

The EU proposed Friday to speed up its ban on Russian natural gas imports, part of a new sanctions package aimed at weakening the Kremlin’s ability to continue with its war against Ukraine.

Under the plan, the bloc would phase out purchases of Russian liquefied natural gas, or LNG, by January 2027 — a year earlier than initially scheduled.

“Russia’s war economy is sustained by revenues from fossil fuels. We want to cut these revenues,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said. “So we are banning imports of Russian LNG into European markets. It is time to turn off the tap.”

The proposal is the 19th sanctions package the bloc has introduced since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.