On January 31, in an interview with Russian media, Professor Jeffrey Sachs - one of the famous economists of the US - continued to maintain a strong criticism of the EU's energy policy and sanctions against Russia.
According to Mr. Sachs, cutting off Russian gas sources not only increases energy costs but also erodes the competitiveness of the European economy, especially for energy-intensive industries. He believes that sanctions have not achieved the political goals expected, while negative impacts directly fall on European people and businesses.
The EU's forced import of LNG (liquefied natural gas) at higher prices from distant markets such as the US or the Middle East, according to him, is evidence of a choice that harms its own economic interests.
The American economist also emphasized that European security cannot be built on long-term confrontation, but needs to return to comprehensive security principles, including dialogue and economic cooperation. According to him, restoring economic relations with Russia is not only of commercial significance but also the foundation for the long-term stability of the European region.
The European Council (EC) on January 26, 2026, officially approved legal regulations on ending Russian gas imports, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) and gas through pipelines.
This is a key part of the REPowerEU strategy, aimed at ending the EU's energy dependence on Russia. According to the approved roadmap, the EU will ban the import of Russian LNG from the beginning of 2027 and stop the import of gas through pipelines from the fall of 2027, expected on September 30, 2027, provided that member states fully meet the requirements for gas reserves. In case of risks to supply security, this deadline can be extended to November 1, 2027.
The new regulations are applied step by step according to existing contracts. Accordingly, short-term contracts signed before June 17, 2025 will be banned from April 25, 2026 for LNG and from June 17, 2026 for gas through pipelines.
For long-term LNG contracts signed before this milestone, the ban takes effect from January 1, 2027, while long-term gas pipeline contracts will end from September 30, 2027, or a maximum of 2 months later if necessary. The document also requires tightening the process of certifying the origin of imported gas into the EU, and applying strict sanctions for violations.
Although the proportion of Russian gas in the import structure has decreased sharply since 2022, the EU still assesses the complete cessation as key to energy security policy. This ban is also part of the 19th largest sanctions package targeting Russia, with the aim of tightening revenue from the oil and gas sector.
