Ukraine and the EU are developing a mechanism for confiscating oil from "shadow fleet" vessels

Ukraine, in cooperation with the European Union, is preparing legislative changes that will allow not only for the detention of tankers subject to sanctions but also for the confiscation of their cargo. 

As President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in his address, the new legal mechanisms will apply to both Russian and Iranian oil being transported illegally. This initiative is intended to serve as a systematic response to Russia’s attempts to circumvent international sanctions by using vessels flying the flags of third countries.

The catalyst for accelerating this process was France’s recent detention in the Mediterranean Sea of a sanctioned tanker carrying Russian oil. The vessel was already subject to restrictions imposed by Ukraine, the UK, the EU, and the US, yet it continued to systematically transport energy resources. Zelenskyy emphasized that simply blocking such vessels is insufficient, and that the confiscation of oil in the interests of European security must become an effective tool for deterring Russian aggression.

Work is currently underway to establish a legal framework that will allow these sanctions to be applied immediately upon the detention of offending vessels. This approach is expected to significantly reduce Russia’s and Iran’s revenues from illegal oil exports, which is critical for weakening their military capabilities. Implementation of the plan will strengthen control over maritime routes and force carriers to refuse cooperation with sanctioned entities due to the risk of total cargo loss.