The European Commission has made clear that the Nord Stream pipelines will not carry Russian gas to Europe once the war in Ukraine ends, directly challenging a joint effort by Washington and Moscow to revive the controversial project.
The underwater system, stretching more than 1,200 kilometres between Russia and Germany, remains under EU sanctions. Nord Stream 1 has been out of operation since an explosion in mid-2022, while Nord Stream 2 never received the necessary certification from Berlin.
“We know far too well the hidden costs of being dependent on Russia for the purchase of fossil fuels,” Paula Pinho, the Commission’s chief spokesperson, said on Wednesday in response to a question from Euronews. “They have been weaponised and we have been paying the price, so we do not forget that.”
Pinho cited a recent speech by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who told MEPs that sanctions on Russian energy would remain “until Russia stops the war”. Von der Leyen had voiced the same position earlier this month during an EU leaders’ summit attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Her remarks were a direct rebuke to the diesel supply deal struck between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a move that angered European capitals. The Commission’s stance extends beyond the current conflict: EU legislation already mandates a complete phase-out of Russian gas imports by the end of 2027.
Short-term LNG contracts have already been eliminated, while long-term LNG agreements will end by January 2027. The final step covers pipeline gas contracts, including those previously linked to Nord Stream, which must be wound down by September 2027.
“The legislation in force is not tied to sanctions or any geopolitical events either,” said Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, the Commission’s energy spokesperson. “So regardless of what happens, we are phasing out Russian gas and LNG from the European market. The last shipments should be finished by the end of next year.”
Pinho added: “It’s a good occasion to remind ourselves who has cut the supplies in the first place. It was Russia, in case this is being forgotten in the meantime.”
A dark legacy
Nord Stream has become a symbol of Europe’s long-standing reliance on Russian energy, a dependency that proved costly after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine triggered a surge in energy prices and drove household bills to record highs. In response, the bloc adopted a phase-out strategy that reduced Russia’s share of pipeline gas from around 40% in 2021 to roughly 6% in 2025. The transition came with a hefty price tag, as countries turned heavily to more expensive American LNG.
Now, as peace talks to end the war intensify, the US and Russia have reportedly floated a plan to restart gas flows to Europe, including through Nord Stream with an American investor. The two sides are said to be discussing other deals involving Lukoil assets, nuclear technology, and Arctic LNG. This fits with Washington’s strategy of dangling economic benefits to entice Russia into meaningful negotiations.
European officials contend the approach is fundamentally flawed because it ignores Putin’s fixation with territorial conquest, the core reason he launched the invasion. No deal, however lucrative, can replace Ukraine’s annihilation in Putin’s mind, they argue. In fact, Moscow has yet to offer a single concession in return.
But the contentious strategy also has European supporters. Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), has vowed to end sanctions and restart Nord Stream if she ever reaches power, arguing that cheap Russian gas was the “secret” of Germany’s past economic success. “We want natural gas and crude oil from Russia to relieve German consumers and German businesses,” Weidel recently told the German parliament.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has accused Weidel of taking Russia’s side and insisted the country’s energy supply can be safeguarded only with renewable sources. Abolishing or amending the EU legislation that phases out Russian gas would require a new proposal by the Commission and a qualified majority among member states.
As the debate intensifies, the EU’s resolve appears firm. The bloc’s energy security strategy, painstakingly built since 2022, is now enshrined in law, and Brussels shows no appetite to reverse course—even if the war ends tomorrow.
