On Friday, the European Union proposed to accelerate its ban on Russian natural gas imports as part of a new sanctions initiative aimed at undermining the Kremlin’s capacity to sustain its military actions in Ukraine.

According to the plan, the bloc intends to eliminate purchases of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) by January 2027, which is a year earlier than previously scheduled.

“Revenues from fossil fuels are vital to Russia’s war economy, and we seek to reduce these funds,” stated Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission. “Thus, we are imposing a ban on Russian LNG imports into European markets. It is essential to close the faucet.”

This proposal marks the 19th sanctions package introduced by the EU since Russia commenced its full-scale invasion in 2022.

The European Commission did not reveal any new restrictions on Russian oil, which has already seen significant reductions in imports. Nevertheless, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas indicated that the revised end date for LNG would demonstrate to Moscow that there are consequences for its continued aggression.

Despite ongoing efforts to diminish dependence on Russian gas, approximately 19% of the bloc’s gas supply was still sourced from Russia as of 2024, a decline from 45% prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. has since emerged as the leading LNG supplier to Europe, accounting for nearly half of imports.

Hungary and Slovakia are the only EU member states that continue to import Russian oil.

The 19th sanctions package will now be submitted to the 27 member states for their approval.