(Finance) – TheEuropean Union it must prepare to definitively abandon Russian gas. Messages in this direction have arrived today both from EU Commission that from EU Energy Council. “We must get rid of Russian gas by 2027. This means that we are working intensively to provide our countries with alternative supply routes and alternative suppliers,” said the EU Energy Commissioner, Kadri Simsonupon his arrival at the EU Energy Council in Brussels, during which ministers discussed the end of the contract between Moscow and Kiev for the transit of Russian gas to the EU via Ukraine, expected at the end of the year.
“I have been very clear and I have also repeatedly confirmed to our Ukrainian counterparts the message that the Commission European will not engage with Russia as it did five years ago when the deal was agreed,” Simson underlined. “Imports into the EU of gas from Russia have fallen by 71% since 2021, in 2023 they contributed only 15% of total import”, Simson then recalled in a press conference at the end of the meeting, highlighting that “after two years” of the program “RePowerEu there are results and a diverse network of alternatives.”
EU energy ministers “underlined that, although it seems that the situation” on the gas market “is relatively good, we are not out of the woods yet. It is therefore important to continue the efforts made by the EU to further strengthen our future architecture of energy security”. The Energy Minister of Belgium, rotating president of the EU, also declared Tinne Van der Straetenat the end of the EU Energy Council.