EU Reaffirms 2028 Deadline to End Russian Energy Imports After Talks with U.S.

The European Union is maintaining its target to phase out Russian oil and gas imports by 2028, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen confirmed on Thursday following a meeting with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
The EU is in the process of finalising legal measures to fully halt Russian fossil fuel imports by January 1, 2028. A ban on short-term contracts with Russian energy suppliers is set to begin next year. However, the EU is also facing increased pressure from the United States to bring this timeline forward.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on Wednesday that the bloc is “considering a faster phase-out of Russian fossil fuels” as part of potential new sanctions on Moscow.
While EU officials visited Washington earlier in the week to discuss sanctions, Jorgensen noted that the subject was not raised during his conversation with Wright in Brussels.
Jorgensen emphasised that his main priority was securing approval from EU member states and lawmakers for the 2028 energy exit plan, which he clarified is distinct from any sanctions-related measures.

“This is a very, very ambitious plan,” he said.“If there are any other things that we can do, at the same time, that will also put pressure on Russia, I am of course very happy to do that,” he said.

A White House official recently stated that U.S. President Donald Trump urged European leaders last week to stop purchasing oil from Russia as part of efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Jorgensen declined to answer whether Wright had specifically asked the EU to accelerate its exit from Russian energy.

Wright told reporters after the meeting:“Our goal is to deploy American energy exports to our allies around the world… That point I think hits home in Europe where I am today, where almost 50% of imported natural gas came from Russia.”“We’re driving to move that to zero, and the biggest filler of that hole has been energy exports from the United States. We want to continue to do that, and end all Russian energy imports into the EU.”

Jorgensen said the two sides agreed on the need to move quickly and discussed “several ways in which we can make this happen as fast as possible”.
He also stressed that the EU’s planned phase-out by 2028 is designed to be implemented in a way that avoids price increases and supply disruptions.
“This would require Europe to buy more U.S. liquefied natural gas,” Jorgensen added.