U.S. Blocks G7 Initiative to Monitor Russia's 'Shadow Fleet' of Oil Tankers

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The United States has vetoed a Canadian proposal to establish a G7 task force to monitor Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers, Orda reports, citing The Guardian.

The fleet is reportedly used to circumvent Western sanctions imposed after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. 

The proposal was discussed in preparation for the G7 foreign ministers' meeting scheduled in Quebec from March 12 to 14. U.S. officials also advocated for removing references to "sanctions" and Russia's "warfare capabilities" in Ukraine from the joint statement, suggesting the term "earn revenue" instead. ​

U.S. diplomats attributed their stance to a broader reassessment of Washington's role in multilateral organizations, indicating an inability to support new initiatives at this time. ​

European nations are reportedly exploring measures to seize Russian oil tankers in the Baltic Sea, invoking international law on environmental or piracy grounds.

Final G7 communiqués require consensus and may undergo further revisions.

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