Posted on 10/20/2025 8:34:09 AM PDT by Navy Patriot
EU energy ministers on Monday backed a proposal to phase out Russian oil and gas imports to the bloc by January 2028, the Council of the European Union said.
The ministers approved the plans, which would phase out new Russian gas import contracts from January 2026, existing short-term contracts from June 2026, and long-term contracts in January 2028, at a meeting in Luxembourg.
The law is not yet final. EU countries must negotiate the final rules with the European Parliament, which is still debating its position.
The EU wants to phase out Russian energy imports to deprive the Kremlin of revenues to fund its war in Ukraine.
Russia currently accounts for 12% of EU gas imports, down from 45% before its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with Hungary, France and Belgium among the countries still receiving Russian gas.
The European Commission designed the proposals to be able to pass despite past opposition from Hungary and Slovakia, the two countries that still import Russian oil.
It needed backing from a "qualified majority" of EU member states - meaning at least 55% - so one or two nations alone could not block it.
The text approved on Monday allowed specific flexibilities for landlocked member states, which include Hungary and Slovakia.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico defended his resistance to the gas and oil import phaseout and sanctions against Russia, which need EU unanimity.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
So much for the “we’re about to be invaded” narrative
This makes me so angry.
When Trump in his first term demanded EU to meet the minimum spending of 2% for NATO and the Europeans laughed at him (check the videos, it happened), Trump at the same time told the Germans and the EU that it was insane for them to depend on Russian oil.
Now almost 8 years later, the EU is running scared, asking for military help from the US and have agreed to 5% spending on defense that will merely make up for the decades of neglect on their own military.
Why? because they funded Russia and the war against Ukraine by buying Russian oil. And now, NOW? three years into the war, they are talking about a slow phase out of their Russian oil purchases?
I have become so jaded. A British accent used to denominate smart and sophisticated people, now it just identifies morons. The EU is the same.
By 2028? I can’t stop laughing….The EU’s manufacturing base will be rolled up by then….
Starting a hot war with the nation that supplies your fuel seems counter productive.
That means the EU doesn’t mind funding the Russian war effort until 2028. Heathens.
What comes after gradually?
EU countries must negotiate the final rules with the European Parliament, which is still debating its position.Translation: not committing to it yet.
Meanwhile:
"Among the seven nations increasing their purchases, France saw a 40% year-on-year jump, importing 2.2 billion euros ($2.5 billion), while the Netherlands' imports surged 72% to 498 million euros ($579 million). Belgium, Croatia, Romania, and Portugal also raised their imports. Hungary recorded an 11% year-on-year increase."Looks like there's lots of policy wiggle room being maintained, as Europe wants to sell still, and import at least until the end of 2027, and feed the media "sanctions" news, while behind the scenes....7 EU states increase Russian energy imports in 2025, Reuters reports Kyiv Indepedent, 10 October 2025.
"Even after four years into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Union remains deeply dependent on Russia for a strategic energy resource: uranium. The EU imports Russian Uranium products, including raw, processed and enriched uranium and fabricated fuel. In 2024, the EU imported more than €700 million worth of uranium products from Russia. These imports are essential to the operation of nuclear power reactors which generate nearly one quarter of electricity in the European Union."
Does record-breaking uranium imports from Russia reveal Europe's continued energy vulnerability? Brussels Times, 8 May 2025
"The EU also exported a wide range of products to Russia (Table 1). Between Q2 2021 and Q2 2025, exports for 4 (machinery, vehicles, electrical machinery, and plastics) of the 5 largest product groups dropped considerably, with pharmaceuticals being the exception. Pharmaceuticals stood at €2 175 million in Q2 2025, well above values in earlier second quarters."
EU trade with Russia - latest developments EuroStat, August 2025
Yep, it is kinda funny.
At least we'll still have the Ukraine War to keep us entertained.
The De-Industrialization of the EU.
Phase out, and take 3 years to do it. They must think that they are going to win their war before that.
Jan 2028?
LOL.
"German industrial orders fell for a fourth straight month in August, dragged lower mainly by a weak car industry and a decline in overseas demand, data showed on Tuesday. Solveen noted that both industrial output and industrial orders data show that there is no sign of an upturn in German industry as yet. 'In fact, the trend in production is still pointing downwards,' Solveen said."German industrial output posts biggest decline in more than three years Reuters, 8 October 2025
"Germany's manufacturing sector has struggled since 2021 due to rising energy costs, weak global demand, and a declining automotive industry.
The recent weakness in the German manufacturing sector CEPR, 22 February 2025
"The term recession refers to an economy that is shrinking. This has been happening in Germany for two years now, the only country in the European Union experiencing such a decline."
German economy in crisis: When will it bounce back? Deutsche Welle, 22 May 2025
It certainly seems to be a game of seeing which "last man standing" will be standing over time. "Resources and access" versus "politics" is not a fight I'd like to referee, it being an unfair fight.
"I've something to sell that you want" and you want to pay with "words." And more words. It's not a question of politics, as those European greenies all go back to drive their gasoline cars to the gas station.....
Better yet. Trump nixed Tomahawks to the corrupted little beggar…and announced a meeting with Vlad in Hungary…..the EU war mongers are wisely being “ left out”….good.
Maybe Orban can get some of Hungary’s historical territory back!
Worth noting:
The number 2 importer of Rare Earth metals/magnets in 2024 was the US.
The number 1 importer was Germany.
Gas is not the only reason Germany has problems.
As many of us stated a long time ago: US’s best interest is to instate full Trade and Commerce with Russia. They have much of what we need( and the world).
Time for the EU and warmongering West to admit senile Joe’s war against Russia was the hugest, most embarrassing loss in modern history.
* Some here still believe Ukraine is somehow “ winning”? Delusional.
It's best for America to have Europe remain Civilized, ... by the American definition.
So they are finally getting serious (SARCASM)!
Europe is slowly killing itself funding both sides in the Ukrainian War. And they are trying to take us with them.
My take on the EU -- specifically, and which is not synonymous with Europe -- is that they are become something like the Heaven's Gate cult seeing the Hale-Bopp comet of a "rules based order" in which they make the rules for the world. Or die.
Since they are just an expensive government layered on top of other expensive governments, they could be "ended" and things would go along just fine. Among their founding fathers was an Italian Communist, who remained a Communist all through his life. For this, some joke that the EU is becoming an EUSSR. European Union of Socialist Committees [ calling themselves democracies, while trying to shut down political parties they don't like ] Republics.
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