As reported by Reuters, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen recalled at an event in London that the EU committed to phasing out Russian oil and gas following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
She noted that Russian gas currently accounts for 18% of the EU’s total gas imports, down from 45% in 2021.
This reduction was made possible through increased liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from the United States and higher volumes of gas imported from Norway.
"These energy partnerships, including imports of LNG from the United States, remain of strategic importance for the European Union," von der Leyen emphasised.
Speaking about the roadmap to end the EU’s energy dependence on Russia, von der Leyen did not confirm a specific publication date, though the European Commission’s agenda indicates it may be released on 6 May.
Previously, European Commission officials abandoned the idea of including a ban on Russian LNG imports in EU sanctions packages, as some member states had vowed to block such restrictions.
Instead, the Commission is considering various legal instruments to include in the roadmap, such as prohibiting companies from signing new gas contracts with Russia or providing legal grounds to terminate existing contracts.
