European efforts to curb Russia’s shadow fleet will take centre stage at the 20 November meeting of EU foreign ministers, after Germany, Poland and France circulated a set of proposals aimed at closing loopholes that allow sanctioned oil tankers to continue operating.
According to one diplomat, the first proposal is to adjust the EU’s sanctions methodology so that new vessels linked to sanctions evasion can be added continuously, rather than only as part of new sanctions packages. The aim is to avoid delays that give tanker operators time to reflag ships, obscure ownership, or shift routes.
A second suggestion is to intensify cooperation with the countries whose flags these ships fly, ensuring that those governments “support us when we deal with their vessels,” a source said. Many ships in the fleet regularly change flags to jurisdictions with limited oversight.
A third proposal focuses on strengthening the legal basis for handling suspect ships when they enter European waters, using the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Some EU states, diplomats noted, already have national legislation allowing them to act against such vessels, while others do not.
Another diplomat stressed that any effective sanctions policy must target the “entire support chain”, not only the vessels themselves. This includes companies involved in registration, insurance and logistics – some of which operate in third countries, but others within the EU.
Russia has assembled a vast shadow fleet of more than a thousand oil tankers designed to conceal the origin and movement of sanctioned cargoes. Ukrainian defence intelligence estimates that at least 238 vessels are actively engaged in circumventing sanctions, frequently switching flags, disabling tracking systems and sailing without adequate insurance.
This fleet has allowed Moscow to maintain oil exports to buyers including China and India despite EU restrictions on Russian oil imports. In response, Brussels has continued to expand its sanctions lists, with the EU’s 15th package adding several dozen additional vessels.
Beyond Europe, pressure is increasing. Australia has imposed sanctions on 60 shadow-fleet ships, while Canada has targeted more than 200 vessels involved in sanctions evasion. Yet Russia continues to rely on the network as a crucial source of revenue that helps sustain its war effort. As debates over sanctions intensify, the European Commission is advancing a parallel initiative: a regulation on military mobility designed to ensure rapid, seamless movement of troops, equipment and assets across the EU. The plan aims to create a pan-European military mobility area by 2027 – widely described as a “military Schengen”.
The proposal, soon to be submitted to the Council and European Parliament, is intended to enable faster, safer and more coordinated transport of military forces. The Commission is also drafting a roadmap for transforming the EU’s defence industry, encouraging innovation in fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum systems, drones and space technologies.
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said the new “military mobility corridors” could eventually extend to Ukraine, offering “a security guarantee” by allowing the Union to deliver support more quickly if required. The measures are expected to speed the movement of military assistance towards Ukraine and along the EU’s eastern borders.
According to Kallas, the EU plans to allocate €17 billion in 2026 to dual-use transport infrastructure, further anchoring the bloc’s long-term defence preparedness.
