Today’s U.S. seizure of a Russian-flagged, Venezuelan-linked oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean threaten the success of critical Ukraine war talks, where negotiations for security guarantees for a post-war Ukraine are now underway.
For its part, Russia condemned today’s tanker seizure, calling it illegal under maritime law. Russia says the seized tanker, part of a “shadow” fleet aiming to avoid oil sanctions, had temporary permission from Russia to fly its flag. But the U.S., calling that tanker “stateless after flying a false flag,” is considering prosecuting its personnel to enforce these sanctions. The U.S. also captured a second tanker near the Caribbean Sea today.
This tit-for-tat, experts say, stands to cause greater friction at a significant diplomatic moment. Läs artikel