JEF Europe supports the European Citizens’ Initiative “Stop Funding Russia’s War Machine” and calls on the European Commission to take decisive action to end the European Union’s remaining strategic import dependencies on Russia and Belarus.

More than four years after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU continues to import billions of euros worth of Russian products. Recent reporting has shown that imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) have even reached record levels in 2026, as companies maximise deliveries under existing long-term contracts before an EU-wide ban enters into force in 2027. Between March and May 2026, Russian LNG imports into Europe increased by 17% compared with the same period in 2025, demonstrating that Europe’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels remains far from over.

This illustrates a broader problem: Europe cannot credibly support Ukraine while continuing to finance the Kremlin. Every remaining dependency weakens the Union’s strategic autonomy, undermines its credibility as a geopolitical actor, and provides financial resources to an authoritarian regime that continues its war of aggression against a sovereign European country.

For JEF Europe, this is not only a question of sanctions.It is a question of European sovereignty. A federal Europe must be capable of protecting its citizens and pursuing a coherent foreign and security policy without being constrained by strategic dependencies on authoritarian regimes. As long as national interests and fragmented energy policies prevail over common European action, Europe’s security will remain vulnerable to external coercion.

The current rush to import Russian LNG before the 2027 deadline also exposes the shortcomings of relying solely on gradual national phase-outs. Europe needs a genuine European Energy Union with coordinated procurement, integrated energy infrastructure, accelerated deployment of renewable energy, strengthened electricity interconnections and a common strategy to eliminate strategic dependencies. The clean energy transition is not only a climate imperative — it is a security imperative.

The initiative also highlights the importance of empowering European citizens to shape the Union’s future. The European Citizens’ Initiative remains the world’s first instrument of transnational participatory democracy, enabling citizens to place common European challenges directly on the EU agenda. At the same time, its limited political impact demonstrates why JEF Europe continues to advocate for a stronger and more effective ECI, ensuring that successful initiatives lead to meaningful legislative follow-up rather than symbolic responses.

JEF Europe therefore encourages all eligible EU citizens to support this initiative. Europe must stop financing the Russian war machine, accelerate its transition towards energy independence, and build a genuine European Political Union capable of acting with unity, consistency and determination in defence of peace, democracy and freedom.