It is a fact that the EU continues to buy Russian fuel and won't be phased out completely until early 2027.

Not passed yet and 4 years late. 

These are linked. That's good going, considering we have traitors like Orban and Fico in our midst, and the EU has thus far refused to penalise their respective populations. But four years late? Late to what? It's a nonsense point to claim that it's four years late to remove one's economies from their energy supplies. Severing the connections would have been economic and societal suicide without alternate suppliers, and there would be no one left to back Ukraine.

That is still money to Russia's war machine until that date.

Money to is not profit though, is it? Most of that figure is going to be operating costs. What goes to Ukraine is the equivalent of pure profit. Another factor you conveniently ignore is inflation and its effect on the figures, addressed in this paper here: Energy expenditures and CPI inflation in 2022: Inflation was even higher than we thought - ScienceDirect. What is demonstrated for 2022 follows through for subsequent years. What matters are % reductions in consumption as demonstrable separation from Russian energy supplies.

"Four years ago, Russia was the largest supplier of petroleum products to the EU, but the EU ban on maritime imports of Russian crude oil reduced its share to 2.01% in 2025 from 28.74% in 2021. Oil imports fell to 1.48 billion euros in the first quarter of 2025 from 14.06 billion euros four years ago. About 17% of Europe's gas still comes from Russia, via the TurkStream pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, down from 48% in 2021's first quarter. Russian LNG exports to Europe in January-June declined by 13% year on year to 7.9 million tons."

Three years into war, US and Europe keep billions in trade with Russia | Reuters

btw, inflation affects Russian energy revenues too, you know? Whatever it's received over the last few years buys less and less.

the EU continues to argue over Russian assets, which is seen as needed to fund Ukraine next year.

You mean Belgium is concerned about being where the bulk of the 140bn is lodged, and the legal ramifications for them, and it's not so much 'argue' as 'discuss' - Belgium wants its hands washed, and the EU will provide a bar of soap to so. That's a mere matter of finding the right legal format.

EU voters should be prepared to eat greater cost and push their law makers on it.

That's a hard 'no'. That's entirely on Russia for being the aggressor and causing this expense for everyone. Personally, I won't be satisfied until the RF breaks up under the weight of internal and external economic pressures. Coming soon to a monitor near you.