European governments, particularly Germany, maintain firm policies to phase out Russian natural gas imports entirely by the end of 2027, reinforced by EU sanctions packages and a strategic shift toward diversified LNG and alternative suppliers following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Nord Stream pipelines remain largely inoperable due to 2022 sabotage damage—leaving only one Nord Stream 2 line potentially intact—combined with permitting barriers, operator sanctions, and environmental remediation requirements that have stalled any reactivation. Recent statements, including Vladimir Putin’s June 2026 call for Berlin to approve flows immediately, have produced no policy reversal amid continued European resistance to renewed dependence. These structural and political constraints underpin trader consensus that restart before 2027 faces prohibitive hurdles.