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Brussels Energy Club Held High-Level Roundtable on the EU Gas Imports Outlook

Updated: Dec 23, 2025

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On Thursday, 11 December 2025, the Brussels Energy Club hosted a high-level expert-practitioner roundtable entitled “EU Gas Imports Mid-Term Outlook – The Impact of Sanctions and the Phasing Out of Russian Gas.” The in-person meeting took place at TUSIAD in Brussels and brought together senior stakeholders for a full day of in-depth discussion, including a networking lunch.



Security of European gas supply, a core theme embedded in the Brussels Energy Club’s DNA since its foundation in 2012, stood at the centre of the debate. In line with the Club’s long-standing tradition of facilitating frank and open exchanges, the roundtable provided a platform for high-level experts and practitioners to assess current developments and future prospects in European and international gas markets.


The discussion focused on the EU’s mid-term strategy for developing its gas market while phasing out Russian gas imports by the end of 2027. Participants examined the legal, economic, and geopolitical factors shaping this transition, with particular attention paid to ensuring affordable and stable gas supplies without creating new dependencies or strategic vulnerabilities.



A key part of the debate addressed the role of sanctions on Russia and their impact on European energy markets. Experts shared perspectives on the evolving security challenges facing Europe, the future of EU gas supply security, and the prospects for Gazprom’s relationship with European customers, including the company’s diversification efforts towards Asia and other regions. The role of alternative gas suppliers and the global LNG market was also discussed.



The roundtable was held in a frank, off-the-record, and interactive format, moderated by the Brussels Energy Club. Participants included high-level energy experts, senior representatives of gas-exporting and gas-transiting countries, executives from European gas-importing companies, and current and former senior officials from EU institutions. The exchange reaffirmed the Brussels Energy Club’s role as a trusted forum for serious energy policy debate in Brussels.


Agenda


Morning sessions:


With a special introductory reflection – a decade-long evolution of the European energy markets, with Giles Dickson, CEO of Wind Europe


1. The European perspective

• Europe’s uneasy relationship with Russia - The EU’s response to Russia’s gas export policies: context of the supply cuts in 2006, 2009, 2014, and 2022

• The EU October 2025 Summit – an agreement to phase out all Russian gas imports by 2027?

• Evaluating the Commission’s plan to end Russian gas supplies to Europe and building a new gas export strategy

• Alignment between Brussels and the Member States on a European gas imports strategy

• Framing the core dilemma: How can the EU secure affordable gas without creating new strategic vulnerabilities?

• What if: the end of the war in Ukraine – a European take

• How bullish should we be about the future of gas in the global context and where does Europe stand?


2. The European focus on alternative gas suppliers and prospects for diversification

• An outlook on core suppliers: Norway, Algeria, Russia, Qatar, USA

• An outlook on alternative suppliers: Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, East Med suppliers

• Firming up on the Southern Gas Corridor in light of the Russian gas phase-out

• How is the EU’s diversification of supply strategy transforming global gas trade routes and influence?

• The cost of LNG versus pipeline gas – the real economics behind investment decision making

• Forecasted LNG boom (250 bcm by 2030): Price moderation or volatility?

• Infrastructure readiness: Can terminals handle new volumes efficiently?


A hearty and healthy pre-Christmas luncheon with quality networking


Afternoon sessions:


3. The impact of sanctions and likely market behaviour

• Evaluating the EU’s 19th sanctions package on Russian gas supplies: can states control markets?

• What has been the key impact of sanctions on Russian gas supply to Europe?

• An overview of EU sanctions targeting the Russian energy sector - relevance for international energy companies and non-energy sectors (banks, transport infrastructure, etc.)

• Beyond sanctions: other EU initiatives to phase out Russian gas

• Prospects for Russian gas rebound - avoiding backdoor re-exports and swap-based circumventions

• How does the European gas industry see the new evolution developing?

• The role of Ukraine in future EU gas market evolution

• Possible future sanctions on Russian energy (EU's 20th package and impact of US sanctions)


4. The Russian perspective: What’s on the mind of Gazprom?

• How is Gazprom adapting to the loss of market share in Europe and the EU’s policies to phase out Russian gas?

• Prospects for Gazprom to recalibrate its gas supply relationship with Europe – existing long-term supply agreements with European consumers

• And what about Russian LNG deliveries to Europe?

• What if: the end of the war in Ukraine – a Russian take

• A role for the South Stream gas pipeline in evolving European gas supply equations

• Gazprom’s supply partnership with Turkey and the Balkans

• China, Japan and Gazprom’s outlook for the new Asian markets


5. Closing Round: Europe’s gas supply security in a fast-moving international context

• A wider-energy market outlook: Should we be talking this much about gas?

• What strategic risks persist in Europe’s energy transition?

• How can the EU balance short-term gas needs with long-term decarbonization objectives?

• Alternative suppliers and alternative fuels: is Europe’s future sustainable and renewable?


Speaker information


Giles Dickson

CEO of WindEurope





Dr Katja Yafimava

Senior Research Fellow, Oxford Institute of Energy Studies





Ana Stanic

Director and founder, E&A Law, London

Brussels Energy Club Advisory Board Member




Steven Travers

Region Director, GaffneyClineTM energy advisory, Baker Hughes





Valerijus Ostrovskis

Managing Partner, ACQUIS





John Roberts

Caspian Energy Analyst, METHINKS UK





Samuel Furfari

Professor of Energy and Geopolitics, VUB, former-European Commission, DG Energy




Christian Cleutinx

Brussels Energy Club Advisory Board Member and former Director General, European Commission, EURATOM Supply Agency






Dr Marat Terterov

Co-founder and Advisory Board Chair, Brussels Energy Club






Presentations


The following speaker presentations from the EU Gas Imports Mid-term Outlook Roundtable are available for download:




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