12 European nations unite to curb Russia's shadow fleet activities

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom announced their commitment to halting and deterring the operations of Russia's shadow fleet.

"The United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Finland and Estonia are tasking their maritime authorities to request relevant proof of insurance from suspected shadow vessels as they pass through the English Channel, the Danish Straits of the Great Belt, the Sound between Denmark and Sweden, and the Gulf of Finland," the statement reads.

Information gathered by the participating countries, particularly regarding vessels that refuse to comply with the requests, will be jointly evaluated and analyzed with international partners.

The nations underscored their resolve to hold the shadow fleet accountable, including through sanctions, for its support of Russia's war against Ukraine.

The Nordic-Baltic Eight Plus format includes the Baltic countries, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Poland, Finland, and Sweden.

On July 18, 2024, the United Kingdom expanded its sanctions against Russia, imposing restrictions on 11 vessels involved in transporting Russian oil.

The United States announced plans to strengthen restrictions on the trade of Russian oil on Sept. 20, particularly targeting the shadow fleet used by Moscow to export crude oil.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on European countries on Oct. 15 to start addressing the "shadow fleet" of tankers that transport Russian oil, continuing to provide Russia with significant revenue.