VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ian Borg has urged Malta and other coastal states to step up coordinated efforts to enforce sanctions targeting Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.”
Speaking at the opening of the Annual Conference of the Sanctions Monitoring Board in Valletta, Borg highlighted the growing use of vessels — largely oil tankers — to help Russia sell and transport oil and other goods despite international restrictions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine. Borg said legal, targeted measures are needed to curb sanction evasion, while ensuring respect for international maritime law and the protection of legitimate business.
He reaffirmed Malta’s role as an EU and UN member state and a major maritime jurisdiction in strengthening supervision and compliance efforts. Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine, he said, remains a serious threat to European security and has prompted multiple rounds of EU sanctions.
Similar concerns were voiced at a public debate following the European Political Community meeting in Copenhagen, where French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for increased pressure on Russia’s shadow fleet and stronger deterrence measures.
Borg noted that Malta has expanded monitoring of vessel histories, cargoes and ownership structures, and set up the Global Centre for Maritime Sanctions Monitoring to support coordinated international action. The Valletta conference gathered more than 250 public and private sector representatives and international experts to discuss sanctions enforcement and related challenges.
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