The head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said that he proposed to the EU foreign ministers to strengthen sanctions against the so-called “shadow fleet” of Russia to undermine oil exports from the Russian Federation.
“The number of vessels in Russia’s shadow fleet, with the help of which Moscow is circumventing the oil price ceiling, is increasing... I proposed discussing strengthening sanctions,” he said following a meeting of the foreign ministers of the European Union in Luxembourg.
In June of this year, the EU, as part of the new 14th package of sanctions against Russia, introduced sanctions against the “shadow fleet” of the Russian Federation, including 27 vessels.
Oil sanctions by Western countries against the Russian Federation came into force on December 5, 2022: the European Union stopped accepting Russian oil transported by sea, and the G7 countries, Australia and the EU introduced a price limit for oil transport by sea at $60 per barrel - it is prohibited to transport and insure more expensive oil. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree banning the supply of oil to foreign parties from February 1, 2023, if the contracts directly or indirectly provide for the use of a price cap mechanism.
The Russian Federation has repeatedly stated that the country will cope with the sanctions pressure that the West began to exert on Russia several years ago and continues to increase. Moscow noted that the West lacks the courage to admit the failure of sanctions against the Russian Federation. In Western countries themselves, opinions have been repeatedly voiced that anti-Russian sanctions are ineffective. Putin has previously said that the policy of containing and weakening Russia is the West's long-term strategy, and sanctions have dealt a serious blow to the entire global economy. According to him, the main goal of the West is to worsen the lives of millions of people.
