The European Commission rejects the resumption of gas deliveries through Nord Stream, even after the end of the war in Ukraine

The European Commission announced on Wednesday that Russian gas will no longer be transported to Europe through the Nord Stream pipeline after the end of the war in Ukraine, thus rejecting the possibility of relaunching the project supported by Washington and Moscow.

The underwater pipeline, more than 1,200 kilometers long between Russia and Germany, is subject to European Union sanctions. Nord Stream 1 became nonfunctional after the 2022 explosions, while Nord Stream 2 never received the necessary certification from the German authorities.

Paula Pinho, the European Commission’s spokesperson, said that the EU is aware of the costs of dependence on Russian fossil fuels, which Moscow uses as an instrument of pressure. The position was reaffirmed after Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the sanctions would not be relaxed even after the end of the war.

Member states have approved the gradual elimination of all Russian gas imports by the end of 2027. Short-term contracts for liquefied natural gas have already been eliminated, long-term contracts will end by January 2027, and pipeline imports, including those previously associated with Nord Stream, will be eliminated by September 2027.