The key facts
- On October 28, the EC confirmed: a return to purchasing Russian gas is not envisaged even after a peace agreement
- The EU finally approved the rules on abandoning Russian gas in January 2026: LNG from January 2027, pipeline gas in autumn 2027
- A Bundestag member from Alternative for Germany called the decision madness and accused the EC of disregarding consumer interests
Brussels rules out a return to Russian gas
On October 28, the European Commission confirmedthat a return to purchasing Russian gas is not envisaged even in the event of a possible peace agreement on Ukraine. The EC's energy spokesperson, Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, explained that the restrictions are enshrined in EU legislation and do not depend on sanctions or changes in the political situation. The European Union finally approved the relevant rules in January 2026: they provide for a phased end to imports of Russian liquefied gas under long-term contracts from January 2027, and pipeline gas in the autumn of the same year. In Brussels, this course is seen as a way to reduce energy dependence on Moscow.
Criticism from the Bundestag
The decision drew sharp criticism from Markus Frohnmaier, deputy chairman of the Alternative for Germany faction in the Bundestag. “Isn't this madness? The European Commission is now ruling out the possibility of resuming gas purchases from Russia after the end of the conflict,” he wrote on the social network X. In the politician's view, Brussels' refusal to revise the restrictions even after the end of the conflict will force Germans to keep paying exorbitantly high prices for energy resources, and the European Commission, in his opinion, is putting its own political directives above the financial interests of German citizens.
Context: Moscow's position and the World Bank's forecast
Against this backdrop, as Life.ru notes, Moscow had not ruled out returning to discussions of gas supplies to Europe: Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov named two conditions — the interest of European buyers and the availability of spare volumes among Russian exporters. According to the outlet, the World Bank warned the EU of the risk of further fuel price increases: according to the organization's assessment, a shortage of alternative supplies could intensify competition for liquefied gas between Europe and Asia. The outlet had also previously reported a sharp spike in prices in October, when gas in Europe approached the $1,200 mark.
