The European Commission on Tuesday proposed a legally binding ban on EU imports of Russian gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) by the end of 2027, using legal measures to ensure the plan cannot be blocked by EU members Hungary and Slovakia.

The EU must be open to resuming Russian gas imports in the event of a peace deal being brokered to end the war in Ukraine, Austria has said, despite a newly proposed EU-wide ban on Russia’s fossil fuel. Brussels “must maintain the option to reassess the situation once the war has ended”, the Austrian energy ministry told the Financial Times.

The European Union’s proposed ban on all Russian gas by the end of 2027 sets the stage for heated debate, with some member states nervous it will boost energy prices and cost companies millions of euros in legal fees.