European leaders are once again working on imposing restrictions against Russia. On November 27, the EU's new sanctions package against Russia reached the discussion stage. The measures considered include targeting Chinese companies that manufacture drones for Moscow.

Besides, deputies from 27 countries reviewed the European Commission's new proposals as part of the 15th package of anti-Russian sanctions. According to the document, these proposals aim to tighten measures against the so-called Russian shadow fleet, which is actively used to transport oil and petroleum products.

Russian authorities are accused of utilizing ships that are not owned by Western companies and are uninsured by relevant firms. This fleet is meant to bypass Western restrictions targeting exports of Russian commodities to third countries.

Experts believe that the use of such vessels "poses significant risks to shipping and the environment." Notably, many tankers delivering oil are outdated, have technical issues, and operate without an automatic identification system.

In this situation, most Baltic countries, including Sweden, are demanding stricter measures against ship owners, operators, and insurance companies. The United Kingdom, which announced restrictions on 30 Russian "shadow vessels," joined the sanctions and added them to its sanctions list. According to the European Commission, European leaders could potentially slap sanctions on 50 ships and ban them from entering EU ports.

The next round of discussions on European sanctions against the Kremlin is scheduled for February 2025. The restrictions planned for the near future will be finalized by the end of 2024.