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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: The European Union has unveiled an ambitious plan to completely phase out all imports of Russian energy — including liquefied natural gas (LNG) — by 2027
• The strategy bans new contracts by the end of 2025 and mandates the termination of existing long-term agreements by 2027, aiming to permanently sever energy ties with Russia amid ongoing geopolitical tensions
🔭 The context: Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU has moved to curb its energy dependence on Moscow but struggled to cut gas imports, which accounted for €23 billion in spending in 2024
• Initial measures banned Russian coal and seaborne oil, yet LNG imports continued and even rose
• Political divisions among member states, particularly between pro-phase-out countries like Poland and opposition states like Hungary, have complicated a unified response
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Reducing dependence on Russian fossil fuels aligns with broader EU climate goals by accelerating the transition to renewable energy and enhancing energy security
• However, replacing Russian gas with alternative fossil sources, such as U.S. LNG, risks entrenching new dependencies unless paired with a major push for clean energy investments and infrastructure modernization
⏭️ What's next: Member states must now develop national plans to exit Russian energy reliance, while the European Commission translates the strategy into binding legislation
• Legal disputes over existing gas contracts, potentially involving up to €18.5 billion in claims, loom large
• Negotiations with the U.S. on boosting LNG imports are intensifying, and Brussels must navigate internal divisions to ensure compliance across all 27 states by the 2027 deadline
💬 One quote: "Even if there was peace tomorrow, it wouldn't be sensible for us to become dependent on Russian fuel again," — Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy
📈 One stat: In 2024, the EU imported 20.05 billion cubic metres of Russian LNG — a 9% increase over the previous year — despite pledges to reduce energy ties to Moscow
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