{"id":193795,"date":"2025-10-09T08:54:38","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T04:54:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abcmedia.am\/?p=193795"},"modified":"2025-10-09T13:18:21","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T09:18:21","slug":"eu-to-halt-russian-energy-imports-by-2028","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abcmedia.am\/en\/news\/193795\/","title":{"rendered":"EU to halt Russian energy imports by 2028"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The EU is negotiating legal proposals to phase out Russian oil and gas by January 2028, attempting to deprive the Kremlin of revenues to fund its war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

In a closed-door meeting on Wednesday, EU ambassadors agreed to forward the proposed law to their ministers for approval at a meeting on October 20, three diplomats told Reuters.<\/p>\n

The diplomats said nearly all EU countries had signalled support for the plans, suggesting it will easily pass – despite criticism from Hungary and Slovakia.<\/p>\n

Negotiations are ongoing on technical changes ahead of the Oct. 20 vote. One outstanding issue is whether liquefied natural gas exports to Europe must be both pre-authorised before delivery and have their origin checked by customs authorities when they arrive at EU ports, to ensure they are not Russian.<\/p>\n

France and Italy have said they support the overall plan, but want shipments to either be pre-authorised – if authorities can enforce this fast enough – or instead checked by authorities upon arrival in the EU, to enforce the ban, EU diplomats said.<\/p>\n

If approved, the law would end Europe’s decades-old reliance on Russian oil and gas – phasing out Russian gas imports under new contracts from January 2026, then existing short-term contracts from June 2026, and long-term contracts in January 2028.<\/p>\n

Countries including Hungary, France and Belgium still import Russian gas – which accounts for 12% of EU gas imports, down from 45% before Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n

The law would oblige Hungary and Slovakia – the two countries still importing Russian oil – to set national plans to halt these imports by 2028.<\/p>\n

A “qualified majority” of EU member states – meaning at least 55% of them – must approve the plans. Once that happens, EU countries and lawmakers will negotiate the final law.<\/p>\n

Separately, the EU is also negotiating a new package of sanctions against Russia to ban LNG one year earlier, in January 2027.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"