Europe Plans Seizure of Russian Oil Tankers – Politico

European countries are discussing the potential large-scale detention of Russian oil tankers in the Baltic Sea. These discussions are being conducted with reference to international law, including possible charges of piracy and environmental crimes, reports NewsBox.

European states are considering the option of conducting a major operation to detain Russian oil tankers operating in the Baltic Sea. According to Politico, these negotiations are happening behind closed doors, focusing on the legal bases for arresting the vessels, which include discussions around international legislation and potential accusations of piracy and environmental offenses.

If the existing legal mechanisms are insufficient, the European countries plan to enact new national laws that would allow them to detain Russian tankers even in international waters.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna highlighted that nearly half of the sea shipments of Russian oil under sanctions pass through the Gulf of Finland. According to him, this poses a threat to the region's ecology and the safety of underwater infrastructure.