On May 14, 2025, ambassadors from the European Union agreed on a 17th round of sanctions against Russia aimed at increasing pressure on Moscow over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, AFP reported, citing European diplomats. EU foreign ministers are expected to formally approve the package at a meeting in Brussels on May 20. According to Bloomberg, the new package includes a blacklist of 60 individuals and entities, as well as restrictions on about 150 tankers that are part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" used to circumvent Western oil price caps.

The European Commission proposed the measures to curb Russia’s revenue from energy exports, which the International Energy Agency estimates will account for around 30% of the country’s budget in 2024. The “shadow fleet” is a network of aging and often uninsured ships used to transport oil, circumventing sanctions and the $60-a-barrel price cap set by G7 countries in December 2022. The fleet numbers up to 1000 vessels with a combined capacity of more than 100 million tonnes, up from 2023 in 600. Most of the tankers are flagged by countries that have not joined the sanctions, such as Panama, Liberia and the Marshall Islands, and use complex name and registration schemes to disguise the origins of the oil.

The new sanctions package will bring the total number of vessels under EU restrictions to more than 300, increasing the ban on access to European ports and the provision of services such as insurance and bunkering. According to Euronews, the “shadow fleet” is a concern for Brussels not only because of the sanctions evasion, but also because of the environmental risks: worn-out vessels could cause oil spills, threatening the marine ecosystem. In addition, the sanctions include asset freezes and visa bans for 60 individuals and entities linked to Russia’s military industry or involved in sanctions evasion, including companies from China, India and the UAE.