EU’s New Sanctions Expose Glaring Gaps in Global Efforts to Starve Putin’s War Machine

In a move aimed at striking directly at Vladimir Putin’s economic lifeline, the European Union has imposed fresh sanctions targeting five businessmen tied to Russia’s state-owned oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft, alongside companies operating the infamous ‘shadow fleet’ of aging tankers that circumvent existing restrictions on Russian oil exports. Are These Sanctions Hitting the Real Culprits? Despite EU member states’ applauded intentions, including France's outspoken commitment to dismantling this sanction-busting network, the shadow fleet—estimated by experts to comprise over 400 vessels—still operates with troubling impunity. These tankers cloak the true origin of their cargoes using dubious shipping practices, undermining not...