Most European Union countries support the plan to completely phase out Russian gas by 2027. Only Hungary and Slovakia did not agree during a meeting of energy ministers on Monday.
The European Commission immediately prohibits new contracts for natural gas supplies with Russia based on trade law. This is a construction where a majority decision among EU countries is needed, instead of a unanimous decision.
Existing short-term contracts for pipeline gas and the import of liquefied natural gas from Russia must be terminated from 2026. Other long-term gas contracts must expire on January 1, 2028, reports the Financial Times.
It was already expected that Hungary and Slovakia would not agree to a plan to completely stop using Russian oil. The governments of both countries are positive about Russia and believe that, because they are landlocked, they cannot easily obtain oil in another way.
The European Commission initially planned to incorporate the phasing out of Russian gas into a sanctions package, but with sanctions, all 27 EU member states have a veto. Both Hungary and Slovakia have indicated that they would use this veto if it came to that. That is why the Commission is now opting for a construction whereby only a majority has to agree to the proposal.