The European Union has announced plans to end its dependency on Russian energy imports.



The European Commission, the EU's executive body, says the move will include a ban on imports of natural gas from the country by the end of 2027.



EU energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen said on Tuesday the necessary legislation will be submitted as early as next month.



He said, "Putin has shown that he doesn't mind weaponizing gas. We should not put ourselves in a vulnerable situation like that again. We do not want to fill up his war chest and support his war economy."



The EU banned imports of Russian coal after the country's invasion of Ukraine, but it continued importing natural gas and other forms of energy.



The EU says Russian gas accounted for about 20 percent of its total imports of the fuel last year.



The EU rules will prohibit the signing of new contracts to bring in both pipeline and liquefied natural gas from Russia.



Existing short-term supply contracts will be terminated by the end of this year, and the commission says it plans legal measures to cancel long-term contracts.



The legislation includes tariffs on imports of Russian enriched uranium used in nuclear power plants.