Sweden calls for new Russia sanctions to target shadow oil fleet

LONDON

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said Monday that the European Union's next round of sanctions should include steps against a shadow fleet of tankers moving Russian oil to evade sanctions.

"Adopting the 14th sanction’s package is one of the most important things," Billstrom told reporters as he arrived at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

"We will see to it that we both include an import ban on liquefied natural gas as well as measures to curb the Russian shadow fleet,” he added.

The European Commission confirmed earlier this month that it is currently in the process of discussing the 14th package of sanctions against Moscow as well as potential new restrictions against Belarus, which may be approved as early as May.

Valdis Dombrovskis, vice president of the European Commission, stated on April 9 that the new package is likely to include an extensive list of restrictive measures with a strong anti-circumvention angle – “in the maritime sector, for example, as Russia continues to try and violate the price cap for its oil exports.”

According to him, the commission is trying to come up with ways of countering the evasion of sanctions using front companies of Western countries that operate outside Europe.

"We will continue to put pressure on Russia and on those who support it on the battlefield, wherever they are. We will continue going after Putin's cronies. And we will continue to go after those helping Russia to circumvent sanctions or replenish its war arsenal," Dombrovskis pointed out.

The EU has imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow since President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

In February, the EU Council adopted the 13th sanctions package against Russia to target individuals and businesses suspected of assisting Moscow in its war against Ukraine, including Chinese companies.