EU countries approve the final Russian gas ban

The European Union gave its final approval on Monday to the bloc's plan that would ban Russian gas imports until?late 2027. This will allow it to become law.

This policy gives legal force to the EU's promise to cut off ties with Russia, its former largest gas supplier. It comes nearly four years after Russia invaded Ukraine in full scale 2022.

At a meeting held in Brussels on Monday, ministers from the?EU approved the bill. Slovakia and Hungary however voted against it.

Hungary announced that it would be taking the case to European Court of Justice.

The ban was designed to be approved by an 'enhanced majority' of countries. This allowed it to overcome the opposition from Hungary, Slovakia and other countries who are heavily dependent on Russian energy imports, and wish to maintain close relations with Moscow.

According to the agreement, the EU must stop importing?Russian natural gas liquefied by the end 2026. Pipeline gas will be stopped by 30 September 2027.

This deadline can be pushed back to the end of November 2027 if the country has trouble filling its storage caverns before the winter heating season.

Before the Ukraine War, Russia provided more than 40% of the EU's gas. According to the most recent data available from the EU, this share will drop to 13% by 2025. (Reporting and editing by Bart Meijer, with Kate Abnett)

(source: Reuters)