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EU strikes Putin again: 200 Shadow Fleet ships affected!
The EU will impose new sanctions against Russia on May 15, 2025 to hit the shadow fleet and the energy sector.
EU strikes Putin again: 200 Shadow Fleet ships affected!
The European Union has decided on a new package of sanctions against Russia in order to further weaken the Russian economy. This step is particularly aimed at the country's so-called shadow fleet, which is responsible for the transport of oil and oil products. How fr.de Reportedly, 200 more ships will be banned from entering EU ports. In addition, the operators of these ships will no longer be able to use the services of European companies.
The package also includes export restrictions for 30 economic actors. There is also a list of 75 other people and companies affected by a business ban in the EU.
Measures against the Shadow Fleet
The shadow fleet, which transports Russian oil, gas, Ukrainian grain and even stolen coking coal, often uses deceptive tactics such as flying false flags and disabling ship tracking systems. The sanctions against this fleet have already led to some Portuguese ports being closed to Russian tankers, increasing pressure on Russia, he said spiegel.de.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) emphasized the EU's willingness to further tighten sanctions. Future measures could also affect the Russian banking sector, particularly banks trying to circumvent existing sanctions. Decoupling Russia from the Swift banking system is also being considered if the situation does not improve.
The EU's energy dependence
Despite the stricter measures, around 20 percent of the EU's natural gas currently comes from Russia, which represents a significant source of income for the Russian economy. The EU faces the challenge of gradually reducing its energy dependence in order to maximize the effectiveness of sanctions and reduce Russia's freedom of action.
In summary, the new sanctions represent a further step in the EU's strategy to increase pressure on Russia and limit its economic ability to act. However, the next steps depend heavily on developments in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.