Infographic

For and against: Where EU member states stand on the Russian gas ban

Just over three years after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Commission, on 17 June, proposed ambitious plans to phase out Russian gas. The European Parliament and Council are rushing to come to an agreement, ahead of a key January 2026 deadline. But the plans don’t affect all member states equally. Some are vocally in favour, while others are entrenched in their opposition. Gas flows, the ability and willingness to find other suppliers, legal risks and politics all play a major role. As talks advance, Contexte looks at the positions of twelve key EU countries, from Hungary to France.
08 October 2025 at 8h00
Energy

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Russian gas ban: What MEPs and member states agree on, and what they don’t Russian gas ban: What MEPs and member states agree on, and what they don’t
Photo: Erhui1979/iStock

Russian gas ban: What MEPs and member states agree on, and what they don’t

A June Commission proposal to outlaw EU imports of Russian gas is designed to stop funding Moscow’s war machine and cut dependence on an unreliable supplier. It’s received broad support from MEPs and member states. But there’s still plenty of disputes about the proposed ban — when it should start, what it should cover, and how big the fines should be. With technical meetings starting on 27 October, Contexte outlines key points of difference that negotiators will need to iron out in trilogue talks.
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Banning Russian fuel: The why, the when, the how Banning Russian fuel: The why, the when, the how
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Banning Russian fuel: The why, the when, the how

Watch the replay of our Contexte Live discussion on the EU’s plan to phase out gas, oil and nuclear imports from Moscow.
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Russia’s curious WTO challenge questions the climate credentials of a flagship EU policy Russia’s curious WTO challenge questions the climate credentials of a flagship EU policy
studiocasper/iStock

Russia’s curious WTO challenge questions the climate credentials of a flagship EU policy

Russia — despite, for some, being an unlikely champion of the rules-based international order — has challenged the EU’s carbon border levy, CBAM, at the World Trade Organization. In the wake of the Ukraine war, Brussels has imposed repeated rounds of sanctions on Russia, dulling the impact of any retaliatory tariffs Moscow might apply. But there’s still a healthy — and in some cases growing — trade in CBAM-affected goods, such as steel. Some wonder if Moscow also sees a chance to poke a finger in the EU’s eye, upending its claim to global climate leadership.
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Emissions trading system (ETS)
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Carbon border adjustment mechanism
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EU Russian gas ban: political impetus hits legal reality

On 17 June, the European Commission proposed its boldest move yet to cut ties with Russian gas: a complete import ban by 2028. But behind the strong political message lie serious legal and financial risks, with billions in compensation potentially at stake and arbitration cases looming.
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How the EU ban on Russian gas imports will work How the EU ban on Russian gas imports will work
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How the EU ban on Russian gas imports will work

The European Commission made a legal proposal on 17 June to ban imports of Russian gas. It contains clear details on timelines and transparency and starts the clock ticking on what Brussels hopes will be an end to Europe’s energy ties with Moscow. Contexte looks at the gory details.
Russian fuels
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