BRUSSELS, March 4. /TASS/. The European Commission (EC) intends to put in force the directive on gradual prohibition of Russian LNG supplies to the European Union in April, EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson told reporters.

"I am looking forward to the final vote of the European Parliament in Strasbourg in April that allows member states to take these actions [against Russian LNG - TASS] without waiting for leaders to agree on sanctions covering gas," she said.

"Last year we discussed this issue with ministers and all the ministers agreed that we brought this amendment to the de-carbonized gas and hydrogen package," Simson added.

According to the EC’s RePowerEU plan, EU member states are "to get rid of Russian gas at the latest in 2027," she noted.

According to European experts’ estimates, after most EU countries abandoned purchases of Russian pipeline gas, for which they would have to pay in rubles, in 2022 EU members boosted sharply Russian LNG purchases.