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Ukraine War Latest: Russia, US Conclude Ukraine Peace Talks in Saudi Arabia; Kremlin Advisor Says They Were Not Bad
Russia’s “shadow fleet” of aging tankers used to circumvent sanctions has been targeted by Ukraine.
The United States and Russia have concluded talks on ending the war in Ukraine, with no immediate results announced. Ukrainian officials said that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had not seen a three-point peace plan put forward by Western leaders.
Meanwhile, European leaders are ready and willing to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, according to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The EU has approved its 15th sanctions package against Russia, targeting individuals and organizations from Russia, China, and North Korea.
Russia’s “shadow fleet” consists of aging tankers used to circumvent sanctions, including those imposed by the EU, U.K., and U.S. Ukraine recently sanctioned captains of these vessels, targeting Russian and Iranian nationals involved in illicit oil exports.
A growing portion of Russia’s oil tanker fleet is being forced to reflag as sanctions intensify, disrupting Moscow’s oil export logistics and forcing tankers to re-register in less reputable jurisdictions, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 23.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow had not seen a three-point peace plan put forward by Western leaders and warned against the deployment of Western troops in Ukraine.
“I have not seen this information, I have not seen these reports,” Lavrov said at a press conference following U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia.
Lavrov also warned that Russia would not accept the deployment of NATO military personnel in Ukraine after any potential peace deal. He claimed that even if Western troops operated under EU or national flags, rather than NATO’s, it would still be a “direct threat” to Russia.
“The absorption of Ukraine by the North Atlantic Alliance is a direct threat to the interests of the Russian Federation, a direct threat to our sovereignty,” he claimed.
Kyiv said that strong security guarantees are essential for any peace agreement. The deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine has been considered as one possible option.
Lavrov further escalated rhetoric against President Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting that he and his team should be “calmed down” following a Ukrainian drone strike on a pumping station in Russia’s Kuban region.
“This should only strengthen everyone in the opinion that this can’t go on, that this man and his entire team should be calmed down, given a slap on the wrist,” he said.
Rutte’s remarks came after French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a Paris summit of European powers. The summit was held before the beginning of the U.S.-Russia talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
“Ready and willing. That’s my take from today’s meeting in Paris,” Rutte wrote.
“Europe is ready and willing to step up. To lead in providing security guarantees for Ukraine. Ready and willing to invest a lot more in our security. The details will need to be decided, but the commitment is clear,” Rutte added.
During the Paris meeting, the participants discussed the defense capabilities that Europe could provide to Ukraine to ensure reliable security guarantees, including a plan for Ukraine’s “automatic membership in NATO” in the event of Russia’s clear ceasefire violation, according to The Guardian.
European leaders are concerned about the potential imposition of neutrality on Ukraine and joint U.S.-Russian powers’ sharing of agreed-upon spheres of influence following the negotiations.
The EU must take issues related to its security more into its own hands, according to European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis. His remarks come as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted that the EU would eventually need to be involved in discussions over sanctions relief as part of ongoing talks with Russia.
“The European Union is going to have to be at the table at some point because they have sanctions as well,” Rubio said after U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia.
The Group of Seven (G7) nations agreed to link any future tightening of sanctions against Russia to the progress of upcoming peace negotiations on Feb. 15.
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