"Opinions on the 'historic' decision to ban gas from Russia divided during the European Parliament session in Strasbourg on Tuesday, as some members of parliament welcomed the move, while critics warned of economic and strategic fallout. "You cannot weaponise energy against us, or rather you can, but we will have an answer. So the decision that we've made now to ban the import of Russian gas is a historic one," Dan Jorgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, proclaimed. Ville Niinisto, MEP from Finland, echoed the sentiment mentioning 'a new era free of Russian gas and oil'. "Never again dependency on Russia on fossil fuels. And Russia can never again use fossil fuels exports as a weapon against Europe. The path to this day has been long, and it has been difficult, but we have to remember it's a historic outcome that we are here," he said. French MEP Thomas Pellerin-Carlin also welcomed the ban on Russian energy but cautioned against overreliance on alternative suppliers. "Let's not be naive. The purchase of American shale gas brings a new risk," he said. "We urge the states to continue their investments in energy efficiency and renewable energies and to finally initiate a true policy of energy sobriety. Because let's be clear, energy sovereignty is not an option, it is the very foundation of our freedom." In his turn, MEP from Italy Raffaele Stancanelli slammed the ban as 'the triumph of hypocrisy at the expense of the citizens'. "We are replacing efficient procurement with a complex and more expensive supply chain. These extra costs will not vanish into thin air. They will go directly on the bills of citizens and businesses with a real inflationary risk," he emphasised. MEP from France Thierry Mariani supported his Italian colleague's stance, criticising the EU for its 'blindness'. "Europe prohibits itself from any adaptation, even if the geopolitical situation changes and especially if a peace agreement is reached with Russia," he explained. "Europe is replacing cheap gas with dependence on American LNG, signing away our industrial competitiveness, while definitively abandoning the diplomatic leverage of the future. The signing of a peace agreement is approaching." The binding agreement, part of the REPowerEU plan, sets a phase-out of all Russian gas, including pipeline and LNG. Bans on short-term contracts begin in April/June 2026, with long-term LNG and pipeline contracts ending by early and September 2027 respectively, backed by strict penalties for non-compliance."