Zelensky Urges EU to Confiscate Russian Oil Ships

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on European countries to enact legislation that would enable them to block Russian oil shipments, specifically targeting vessels associated with Russia's shadow fleet. In a video message during a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force in Helsinki, Zelensky stressed the necessity for collective action to create robust laws that would allow countries to confiscate Russian oil.

He expressed gratitude to Denmark, Sweden, and France for their recent actions in seizing ships believed to belong to the shadow fleet, which consists of vessels attempting to evade Western sanctions imposed following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. These ships often operate in poor condition and lack proper insurance, with opaque ownership structures.

Notably, the French Navy seized a third shadow fleet tanker in the Mediterranean last week, while Swedish authorities detained the Sea Owl tanker in mid-March, arresting its captain on suspicion of falsifying documents. The UK government announced its military would be able to board and seize ships from the shadow fleet entering UK territorial waters, with 598 ships suspected to be part of this fleet under European Union sanctions.