Confiscate Russian oil, Zelensky urges EU

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday urged European countries to pass legislation blocking Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” ships from sailing in their waters and to confiscate Russian oil.

“We need joint action to create strong laws in Europe that allow countries to block Russian tankers and confiscate the oil,” Zelensky said in a video message to leaders of the Joint Expeditionary Force meeting in Helsinki.

JEF is a UK-led alliance of 10 Northern European countries.

“This should be a real tool to take away Russia’s ability to pressure Europe,” he said.

“Please also help others in Europe move these decisions forward and implement them at home,” he said.

Zelensky also thanked Denmark, Sweden and France for recently seizing ships suspected of belonging to the shadow fleet.

Their actions were “a clear demonstration that enforcement is not only possible but effective,” he said.

Moscow’s shadow fleet consists of vessels used to skirt Western sanctions since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

They are often ageing ships in poor condition, without proper insurance and with opaque ownership.

The French navy seized a third “shadow fleet” tanker in the Mediterranean last week, while in Sweden, authorities seized the Sea Owl I tanker in mid-March and arrested its captain on suspicion of falsifying documents and violating maritime regulations.

On Wednesday, the British government announced that its military will now be able to board and seize ships sanctioned as part of the shadow fleet if they enter UK territorial waters.

Some 598 ships suspected of being part of the fleet are under European Union sanctions.

AFP