Joint Effort Against Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’ and Sanctions Evasion
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski emphasized that Poland and Finland will not tolerate efforts to bypass penalties on Moscow and stressed the need to keep tightening pressure “politically and economically” to help bring peace in Ukraine. He called for swift adoption of further “ambitious” sanctions packages.
Sikorski stated that Warsaw and Helsinki agree Russia must face full accountability, including financial liability for damage caused by its actions. He urged using frozen Russian state assets to provide loan-based support for Ukraine. The two countries are also working to counter hybrid activities on their eastern borders and in the Baltic Sea, he added.
Shadow Fleet Poses Serious Risks
A particular area of interest, Sikorski said, is dismantling the “shadow fleet” used by Moscow to skirt sanctions, which he argued poses serious environmental and maritime security risks. Actions taken so far should send “an important signal” to Russia, he told reporters.
“We will not tolerate the circumvention of sanctions, sabotage targeting our critical infrastructure, or the creation of a massive risk of an ecological disaster in the Baltic,” Sikorski said. Poland aims to leverage its current chairmanship of the Council of the Baltic Sea States to better coordinate protection of undersea critical infrastructure and efforts against the shadow fleet.
Coordination and Cooperation
The council provides a platform to synchronize responses by regional countries and the European Union, Polish state news agency PAP reported. Sikorski thanked Finland for its firm reaction to recent incursions into Polish airspace. He welcomed the EU’s “drone wall” initiative, discussed at a recent meeting of European leaders in Copenhagen, and described NATO’s Eastern Sentry initiative as a sign of the alliance‘s solidarity and flexibility.
Sikorski noted that Valtonen’s visit was also in her capacity as chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). He said Poland appreciates that Finland’s OSCE leadership has maintained a principled line toward Russia and continued work in support of Ukraine.
Original Article: Poland, Finland vow joint push against Russia’s ‘shadow fleet,’ sanctions evasion — Polskieradio