The European Union (EU) has failed to seek support from the US and G7 countries for the coordinated campaign to block Russian oil shipments. According to a senior diplomatic source in Brussels revealed to TASS news agency, this call is within the framework of the 20th sanction package against Moscow that the bloc is promoting.
According to officials, the EU has submitted to the US and the Group of 7 developed economies (G7) a comprehensive sanctions plan. The focus of the proposal is to thoroughly ban European businesses from participating in all stages of Russia's crude oil transportation on a global scale.
This plan does not just stop at banning physical transportation. The European Commission (EC) also wants to extend the ban to vital logistics services. This agency proposes to ban Western companies from providing any form of maintenance, supply, funding or maritime insurance services to Russian oil tankers, regardless of which country's flag these vehicles are flying to circumvent the law.
After outlining this strict roadmap, the European executive branch has officially invited strategic partners to apply similar restrictive measures to their businesses in order to create a closed grip. However, the US has flatly rejected calls for joint action.
Commenting on the above decision, a diplomatic source said that Washington may be planning a separate step. This official did not rule out the possibility that the US administration will issue sanctions against its own oil tanker network at a suitable time and under conditions entirely decided by them, instead of running according to the EU-designed framework.
Meanwhile, the reaction from other members of the G7 group also did not bring positive signals. Although these partners expressed that joining the new energy sanctions package is a possible scenario, they immediately stopped and refused to make any clear commitments or promises at the negotiating table.
The rejection from the US and the G7's cautious attitude have dealt a heavy blow to the Kremlin's ambition to tighten energy revenue. The lack of synchronous coordination in maritime and financial insurance from its largest allies will certainly create loopholes for Russia's oil tanker network to continue circulating "black gold" in the international market, putting the 20th sanction package at risk of a serious decline in power.
