Brussels, 6 May 2025 – The European Commission’s plan to end the EU’s imports of Russian fossil fuels risks replacing one dangerous dependency with another, warned Greenpeace.
The Commission is releasing a roadmap with a set of guidelines on Tuesday, but is not yet imposing a ban or sanctions. It is expected to urge EU governments and companies to phase out purchases of oil, fossil gas and nuclear materials from Russia by 2027, in an attempt to deny Vladimir Putin’s regime funding for its war in Ukraine.
The plan will recommend phasing out imports of Russian energy and on securing other suppliers of the same fuels, a move Greenpeace says would lock the EU further into fossil fuel dependency, drive up people’s energy bills, fund other authoritarian regimes and worsen the climate crisis and pollution.
Greenpeace EU climate and energy campaigner Thomas Gelin said: “Keeping money flowing to Putin’s war chest for these fuels is scandalous, but the Commission risks replacing one disastrous dependency with another – unplugging Putin’s gas and plugging in Trump’s. Instead of locking us into polluting and risky fossil fuel contracts, governments and the EU should be cutting energy waste and people’s bills by insulating homes, and giving us true energy security with a massive boost to renewables. The end of Russian fuel imports must be the beginning of the end of fossil fuels entirely, and a ban on new fossil fuel projects is the first step. Dumping fossil fuels, saving energy and focusing on renewables is the only roadmap to true energy independence.”
Imports of liquified fossil gas from Russia reached record levels last year, with the EU spending over €7 billion for the fuel, more than it has spent on aid to Ukraine. Instead, there’s a push to import more liquified gas from the US, with the EU reportedly considering relaxing rules on methane pollution to facilitate US exporters, irrespective of the climate impact of methane leaks.
Despite the EU’s stated goal to phase out Russian fuel imports, there are now calls in the US and Germany to consider resurrecting the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany. Greenpeace warns that a restart of Nord Stream 2 would renew the EU’s dependence on Russian gas, fill Putin’s war chest, jeopardise peace in Europe and undermine the transition to 100% renewable energy.
Contacts:
Thomas Gelin – Greenpeace EU climate and energy campaigner: +32 473 57 04 46, [email protected]
Greenpeace EU press desk: +32 2 274 1911, [email protected]
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Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. We do not accept donations from governments, the EU, businesses or political parties. Greenpeace has over three million supporters, and 26 independent national and regional organisations with offices in more than 55 countries.
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