BRUSSELS (Chatnewstv.com) — The European Union has reached a provisional agreement to fully phase out Russian fossil fuels, marking what European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called “the dawn of a new era” of energy independence from Moscow.
The announcement came in Brussels on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, following a late-night session for negotiators on the Commission’s REPowerEU plan. Von der Leyen, speaking alongside Commissioner Dan Jørgensen and International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol, emphasized the speed and effectiveness of the effort to cut reliance on Russian energy since the start of the war in Ukraine.
“Many believed this would be impossible,” von der Leyen said. “Today is a historic day for our Union. Last night, we reached a provisional agreement on the Commission’s proposal to fully phase out Russian fossil fuels. We are turning that page. We are turning it for good.”
The president provided stark figures illustrating the dramatic reduction in Russian energy imports:
Gas (LNG and pipeline): Down from 45% to 13%.
Coal: Down from 51% to zero.
Crude Oil: Down from 26% to 2%.
“I always knew we could deliver. With unity, with resolve, and by building on the extraordinary work of the past three years,” she stated.
The move to drastically cut Russian imports has also resulted in a significant financial blow to Moscow. Von der Leyen noted that the monthly revenue the EU was paying Russia for fossil fuels has plummeted from €12 billion at the beginning of the war to €1.5 billion, with the goal of bringing the figure “down to zero.”
The success of the REPowerEU plan was attributed to three main pillars:
Energy Savings and Security: Overcoming the energy crisis while maintaining security.
Supply Diversification: Signing new partnerships with trusted global suppliers.
Investment: Unprecedented speed in developing renewables and nuclear energy.
Von der Leyen highlighted the growth of green energy, saying, “Today, half of our electricity comes from renewables. And if you look at the low carbon energy, nuclear and renewable it is 74%. And this is just the beginning.”
Finally, von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to Ukraine, which has faced consistent Russian attacks on its energy grid. The EU has provided extensive support, including more than 16,000 power generators and transformers, and is exporting over 2 gigawatts of electricity to stabilize Ukraine’s energy grid.
“We will continue to support immediate needs. And help build a more resilient Ukrainian energy system for the long term,” she concluded, thanking Jørgensen, Birol, the Council, and the Parliament for their “European team work at its best.”
