On December 10, EU ambassadors approved a plan, according to a spokesperson from Denmark, which holds the current EU presidency. Under this new policy, the EU will stop buying Russian LNG by the end of 2026 and phase out pipeline gas shipments by September 2027. New transparency measures will require importers to disclose where their gas comes from, confirm it is not sourced from Russia, and outline transportation routes that bypass third-country transit schemes. The ban must still be officially passed by both EU ministers and the European Parliament – the latter will vote next week, with ministers likely to give formal consent early next year.
Bloomberg reports that Poland and Greece, thanks to their northern and southern ports, could become leading LNG suppliers for landlocked countries such as Hungary and Ukraine. Gaz-System, Poland’s gas pipeline operator, will decide in the first half of next year whether to construct another floating LNG terminal in the Baltic Sea. Poland is already building a floating terminal with a capacity of 6.1 billion cubic meters, aiming for completion in 2028. This facility will provide gas to Poland and other nations, positioning Poland as a key regional gas transport hub.