Official: EU Starts Ban on Russian LNG Under Short-Term Contracts as of Today

 The European Union's ban on importing Russian LNG under short-term contracts officially came into effect today, Saturday, April 25, 2026. This move is part of a gradual strategy to phase out dependence on Russian energy, with a full ban on LNG scheduled for early 2027, followed by a halt to pipeline supplies in September of the same year. Despite the ban's commencement, Russian supplies hit record highs in the first quarter of 2026, reaching 6.8 billion cubic meters, posing logistical challenges for EU nations to replace these shares, which accounted for 16.1% of their total imports.