EU officials are debating whether to restart Russian pipeline gas imports as a potential incentive for Moscow to negotiate peace with Ukraine, the Financial Times reported Thursday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the discussions.
Some German and Hungarian officials and counterparts in other unnamed European capitals have reportedly backed the idea also as a way to lower the bloc’s rising energy costs. According to FT, the proposal could “encourage Moscow to the negotiating table and give both sides a reason to implement and maintain a ceasefire.”
“There is pressure from some big member states on energy prices, and this is one way to bring those down,” one official was quoted as saying.
However, Ukraine’s closest EU allies in Eastern Europe — many of whom have worked to eliminate their dependence on Russian energy — were reportedly “infuriated” by the proposal.
“It’s madness,” another official told FT. “How stupid could we be to even think about that as an option?”
Russia halted pipeline gas deliveries to Europe via Ukraine on Jan. 1 after Kyiv refused to renegotiate a transit agreement in response to Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Prior to the cutoff, the pipeline transported around 50% of Russia’s pipeline gas exports — mainly to Slovakia, Austria, Hungary and non-EU member Moldova.
Despite banning nearly all Russian pipeline gas and oil imports, the EU imported a record 17.8 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia in 2024. The bloc has committed to phasing out Russian fossil fuel imports entirely by 2027.
While the EU banned Russian crude oil and coal following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, it has not yet imposed restrictions on Russian pipeline gas or LNG.
Earlier this week, however, FT reported that the bloc was considering import restrictions on Russian LNG as part of its next sanctions package, expected to be announced next month.
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