EU urged to be 'more creative' in combating Russia's sanctions evasion tactics

2025-10-20 12:10:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

EU urged to be 'more creative' in combating Russia's sanctions

The European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, has called on the European bloc to be more creative in combating the "secret Russian fleet" through which it evades international sanctions related to the war in Ukraine.

She said that Russia has become very creative in evading sanctions, so she asked the European Union to be more attentive.

"We need to constantly think about what more we can do," Kallas said, at the start of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

Kallas said the EU has made a lot of progress in limiting Moscow's revenues through sanctions, but more needs to be done.

According to a document prepared for Monday's meeting, the secret fleet is believed to consist of 600 to 1,400 Russian tankers selling oil.

Experts advising Kallas have said that the oil-fueled ships not only contribute to Russia's war economy, but also create massive risks to the environment and maritime safety.

According to them, accidents involving these ships would cause oil spills and other additional pollution in marine areas, which would then have devastating effects on the ecosystem and fisheries.

Most of these ships are said to have little ownership details and no insurance.

Moscow is dependent on this fleet, which has operated in secret for years, to evade the price caps on Russian oil imposed by the European Union.

This includes old ships, whose ownership is unknown and whose crews are trained to hide the origin of the goods.

It is even believed that some ships disable automatic identification satellite systems, or transfer oil to several pairs of hands to lose track.

The war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin calls the war a special military operation to demilitarize Ukraine.

The West has responded to Russia by hitting the country's economy with harsh sanctions.

As a result of the war, thousands of people have died and millions more have been displaced from their homes./ REL