Energy Standoff Deepens: Moscow Studies Ending Gas Exports to Europe

Russia continues to analyze the possible consequences of an early termination of energy supplies to Europe, said Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the President of the Russian Federation.

Photo: Gazprom official website

Gazprom, pipeline construction

Kremlin Studies Early Withdrawal from European Gas Market

According to him, the issue is indeed under consideration, but a comprehensive analysis is required before any decision can be made.

"As for the president's initiative regarding an early withdrawal from the European gas market, this issue is being studied. A thorough expert assessment is required,” Peskov explained.

He emphasized that the global energy market is currently experiencing enormous strain due to the conflict in the Middle East.

"These shocks create high uncertainty for all participants and significantly complicate forecasting market trends. That is why we are conducting a deep analysis, taking into account all factors of the current situation,” the Kremlin representative noted.

Europe Shows No Interest in Dialogue

Peskov also stated that the European side shows no interest in dialogue with Russia on energy cooperation. No signals indicating a willingness to discuss this issue have been received from European countries.

In early March, President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to assess the feasibility and implications of halting energy exports to Europe.

EU Moves Toward Full Ban on Russian Energy

Starting April 25, the European Union will ban imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) under short-term contracts, with long-term contracts to be prohibited from January 1, 2027.

The ban will also apply to pipeline gas supplies — from June this year for short-term contracts and from September 2027 for long-term agreements.

The Russian president noted that the country may not need to wait "until the door is demonstratively slammed shut” and that it would be more rational to redirect supplies in advance to promising markets that show greater interest in cooperation.

Divisions Within the European Union

Some EU countries, including Hungary and Slovakia, support continuing energy supplies from Russia. Officials in Budapest have proposed that Brussels abandon plans to halt imports, arguing that this would help stabilize prices.

However, the European Commission continues to insist on ending imports of Russian energy resources. Its president, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that abandoning these plans would be a "strategic mistake.”

Gas Supply Challenges and Regulatory Changes

At the same time, European countries face the challenge of building up gas reserves for the next heating season.

Norway has already indicated that increasing pipeline gas supplies is not feasible, while the United States faces difficulties in significantly expanding LNG exports. Qatar is currently not supplying LNG.

Against this backdrop, Brussels has decided to ease LNG import rules by amending existing regulations.

The changes reduce the number of documents that energy companies must submit to prove that imported LNG is not of Russian origin. Companies can now obtain approval to import multiple shipments under a single contract from the same supplier, whereas previously each shipment required separate documentation.

If supply routes change due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, companies will not need to restart the approval process and can clear gas using previously submitted documents.

The European Commission also requires regulators to reduce the review time for gas import requests to 24 hours.

Brussels hopes these measures will help avoid gas shortages, although officials continue to state that the energy situation remains stable and no problems are expected.