Western countries will prevent Russia from restarting pipeline gas exports to European countries. The move will be the 11th round of sanctions imposed by Western countries on Russia since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The European Union and G7 countries plan to ban the import of natural gas on the already interrupted Russian gas pipeline, which will be the first time that Western countries have blocked the pipeline gas trade. The decision will be finalized at the G7 Hiroshima summit. Major Western countries will further reduce their dependence on Gazprom, one of which is to prevent the reopening of pipelines closed by the Russia-Ukraine conflict until at least one agreement is reached in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
While the measure is unlikely to directly affect gas trade, it underscores the EU’s determination to wean itself off its decades-long energy dependence on Russia for good.
As of now, Russia’s share of European gas imports has fallen from more than 40% to less than 10%. Europe’s overall natural gas reserves have reached about 60%, much higher than the 30% in the same period last year. EU officials said that figure would reach rated reserves by next winter.