The focus is on the infrastructure servicing the transportation of Russian oil and stolen grain.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga stated that the EU is discussing tightening sanctions against Russia’s shadow fleet, including possible restrictions on Russian ports.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing an interview with the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Ukrinform.
Also read: Stubbs urged the EU to act more flexibly: decisions on sanctions should not be blocked
During the G7 foreign ministers’ summit held in France on March 26-27, Sibiga said that partners discussed a ban on providing maritime services to tankers of Russia’s shadow fleet.
He emphasized that the current situation in the energy market, caused by the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, does not negate the need to implement this pressure tool against Moscow.
“And if we talk about strengthening sanctions, they should also apply to Russian port infrastructure, to ports that allow, in particular, the illegal transportation of oil by tankers of the shadow fleet or the export of stolen grain from Ukraine,” the minister noted.
According to him, such options are already being discussed, and this approach “will definitely be implemented sooner or later.”
Sibiga also mentioned that individual states can already make specific decisions at the national level. At the same time, he added, EU countries are forced to act within the framework of European legislation, so they are looking for mechanisms of additional pressure on the Russian Federation comprehensively.
“Therefore, countries are certainly acting within this legislation, and all of this needs to be considered comprehensively, but yes, they are looking for options that will allow for the most effective use of this toolkit to increase the cost of continuing aggression for Russia,” the Ukrainian diplomat concluded.
Recall that on March 14, the EU Council extended sanctions against individuals and companies involved in undermining the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine for another six months, until September 15.
The sanctions list continues to include about 2,600 individuals and legal entities that the European Union considers involved in the unjustified and unprovoked aggression of Russia against Ukraine.
