Speaking at the UN General Assembly, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared the EU’s readiness to completely stop using Russian energy resources by the end of 2026—effectively January 1, 2027. However, for more than another year, Europe will continue importing Russian oil, gas, and petroleum products, reflecting Donald Trump’s demand for Europe to halt financial support for Moscow through energy purchases.
Slovakia and Hungary remain the key EU importers of Russian oil, but other countries—notably France—maintain business interests in Russian gas extraction and procurement of LNG. Many petroleum products are imported indirectly, refined from Russian oil in third countries such as Turkey and India.
Experts note that, technically, Europe could phase out Russian energy sooner, especially oil-related products, since contracts are often short-term. Proposals have surfaced to shorten embargo timelines for oil and petroleum products and to intensify restrictions on Russian gas imports.
When it comes to support for Ukraine, ambiguity persists: defense spending rises sluggishly and many EU countries lack capacity to ramp up domestic arms production. Experts emphasize the importance of investing in Ukraine’s own military-industrial complex and urge European countries to provide more active support.
Ultimately, a speedy embargo on Russian energy would significantly reduce Russia’s budget revenues—an effective sanctions strategy. However, the EU’s current decisions leave room for maneuver, and a real move away from Russian energy is delayed by political and economic considerations.
