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The European Union has decided not to include a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in future sanctions packages due to resistance from some member states and uncertainty about alternative sources of supply. Reuters reports this with reference to European officials.
Focus shifts from sanctions to strategic planning
Instead of an outright ban on imports, the European Commission plans to announce a new roadmap aimed at ending the EU’s dependence on Russian energy by 2027. The plan is due to be unveiled in early May, but details have not yet been disclosed.
The EU began discussing a possible embargo on Russian LNG back in January as part of the preparation of the 16th package of sanctions. However, opposition from a number of governments, as well as risks to the bloc’s energy stability, forced the Commission to reconsider its approach.
The 17th package of sanctions is postponed – and will not contain restrictions on LNG
The European Commission is expected to propose the 17th package of sanctions in June. However, according to sources in Brussels, work on it is progressing slowly. A ban on Russian LNG is no longer seen as a realistic measure – at least in the short term.
“We don’t want to lose leverage in the negotiations by sacrificing Russian LNG right now,” said one senior official.
The American factor and Brussels’ caution
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on the EU to buy more American gas. Brussels sees this as a possible negotiating tool to get Washington to reduce duties on European goods. However, according to European officials, the US administration has not yet clearly articulated its demands.
On Monday, the chairman of the EU Trade Committee met with his American counterpart. The Commission described the talks as an “assessment discussion” and emphasised:
“The EU is doing its part. Now the US has to define its own position. Like any negotiation, it has to be a two-way street.”
The danger of new energy dependence
Another concern in the EU is the risk of creating a new dependency, this time on the United States. After Russia and Norway, the United States is Europe’s third-largest gas supplier, and not everyone in Brussels considers strengthening energy ties with Washington to be strategically sound.
Thus, the EU’s new energy policy is increasingly taking on the features of a long-term balance between geopolitics, economics and security.
