US senators push new sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet

US senators are moving to tighten financial pressure on Moscow by targeting its “shadow fleet” of oil tankers, as President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine show little progress.

The Shadow Fleets Act, to be introduced on September 19 by Senate foreign relations chair Jim Risch and ranking Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, would expand sanctions on ageing, opaque tankers used to bypass Western restrictions, as well as Russian LNG projects and the country’s defence industry. The bill has bipartisan support, including from Trump allies Lindsey Graham and Tom Cotton, Caliber.Az repirts via Financial Times. 

“Putin will use every trick in the book to evade US sanctions, and the US is cracking down on this illicit shadow fleet of ships that he uses to fund his war,” Risch said. “These ships and the oil sales they facilitate directly threaten American and European security, and will be stopped.”

The initiative comes as the EU weighs fresh sanctions on Russian oil and gas, along with measures against buyers in China and India.

Moscow has intensified drone and missile strikes on Ukraine, including incursions into Polish airspace that prompted Nato’s first direct military engagement with Russian forces.

Trump, who hosted Vladimir Putin at an Alaska summit last month, has set deadlines for Moscow to accept a ceasefire but has yet to enforce consequences. While he has raised tariffs on India for Russian oil purchases, he has avoided imposing major new costs on Moscow during negotiations.

Lawmakers in Washington have already advanced other tough measures, including a bill to label Russia a state sponsor of terrorism over the abduction of Ukrainian children, and a sweeping sanctions package backed by more than 80 senators.

By Sabina Mammadli