The European Commission is actively deliberating a proposal to expedite a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) as part of its 19th sanctions package against Moscow, according to an EU official. This move comes in response to heightened pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has urged European nations to take more aggressive measures to undermine Russia’s energy revenues and weaken its war economy. During a recent call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Trump emphasized the need for Europe to halt all Russian oil purchases and impose tariffs on major buyers of Russian fossil fuels, such as China and India. The EU is already in the process of negotiating proposals to phase out Russian oil and gas imports entirely by January 1, 2028, with an immediate ban on short-term contracts set to take effect next year. The new sanctions package is expected to be presented to EU member states on Friday, marking a significant step in the bloc’s ongoing efforts to curtail Russia’s financial resources amid the Ukraine conflict.
EU looks to accelerate ban on Russian LNG in 19th package of sanctions, EU official says
