European Commission says Nord Stream will not be restored after the war

Brussels rejects the idea of restarting Nord Stream

The European Commission has stated that the Nord Stream pipeline will not supply Russian gas to Europe even after the war in Ukraine ends, rejecting, according to Euronews,, a joint attempt by Washington and Moscow to revive the project. Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho recalled that the pipeline is under EU sanctions, and Nord Stream 1 has not been operating since the 2022 explosion, while Nord Stream 2 never received certification from the German government. 'We know all too well the hidden costs of dependency on Russia when buying fossil fuels. They were used as a weapon, and we paid the price,' Pinho said, answering a question from Euronews.

The phase-out of Russian gas is enshrined in law

Brussels' key argument is not only sanctions. The Commission pointed to legislation adopted by member states to phase out all imported supplies of Russian gas by the end of 2027: short-term LNG contracts have already been wound down, long-term ones will end by January 2027, and pipeline contracts by September 2027. The Commission's energy spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen stressed that this legislation 'is not tied to sanctions or any geopolitical events,' so the phase-out of Russian gas and LNG will continue regardless of how events unfold, with the last supplies due to end before the end of next year. In practical terms, this means that even a political settlement alone will not bring Russian gas back to the EU market: repealing or amending the law would require a new initiative from the European Commission and a qualified majority of member states, and most of them, as Euronews notes, consider purchases from Moscow unacceptable from the standpoint of overall security.

Context of the talks and Europe's divide

The statement came amid intensified peace talks: the US and Russia are reportedly discussing a plan to restart gas supplies to Europe, including via Nord Stream with an American investor, as well as deals involving Lukoil assets, nuclear technology and Arctic LNG. The publication describes European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's words that sanctions on Russian energy will remain 'until Russia stops the war' as a response to the diesel fuel deal concluded by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, which provoked outrage among Europeans. Meanwhile, Europe's position is not unanimous: Alternative for Germany leader Alice Weidel promised to lift the sanctions and restart Nord Stream, calling cheap Russian gas the 'secret' of Germany's past economic success, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused her of supporting Russia and stated that the country's energy supply can only be secured through renewable sources. According to Euronews, Moscow has so far offered no concessions in response to such an economic approach.