The European Commission has ruled out restoring Russian gas deliveries through Nord Stream after the war in Ukraine, rejecting a reported US-Russian initiative to revive the project. Its position rests on legislation requiring Russian gas imports to be eliminated by the end of 2027, irrespective of the outcome of peace negotiations.
Spanning more than 1,200 kilometres beneath the sea between Russia and Germany, Nord Stream is subject to EU sanctions. Nord Stream 1 has been inoperable since an explosion in 2022, while Nord Stream 2 never secured German certification. Against this backdrop, Washington and Moscow have reportedly discussed restarting deliveries with the involvement of a US investor.
Short-term contracts for Russian liquefied natural gas, or LNG, have already been phased out. Long-term LNG contracts are due to cease by January 2027, with pipeline gas contracts following by September. Commission energy spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen stressed that the legislation operates independently of sanctions or geopolitical developments, meaning that an end to the war would not reverse the timetable.
Russia's share of EU pipeline gas declined from approximately 40% in 2021 to 6% in 2025, although replacing those supplies has involved substantial costs as countries turned heavily to more expensive American LNG. The Commission maintains that Moscow weaponised Europe's energy dependence. Most member states continue to regard Russian purchases as an unacceptable security risk; changing the phase-out legislation would require a Commission proposal and a qualified majority of member states.
