BRUSSELS, February 20. /TASS/. In its 20th sanctions package, the European Commission is developing a legal foundation to allow the interception of tankers with Russian oil, which raises serious concerns among several European Union countries regarding the risk of a military confrontation at sea, a source in Brussels diplomatic circles told TASS.
"The European Commission’s plans to prohibit maritime transport of Russian oil under the 20th sanctions package, along with the associated financial and insurance services, are accompanied by negotiations between the European External Action Service and the countries and jurisdictions that provide tanker registration services, in order to obtain permission to inspect tankers under their flags on the high seas to enforce the new sanctions," he said.
"They are essentially preparing legal grounds for stopping, inspecting, and potentially seizing tankers transporting (according to Brussels - TASS) Russian oil and their cargo. This is causing significant concern among some EU states, as it could lead to a direct military clash at sea," the diplomat noted, commenting on the difficulties in approving the 20th sanctions package against Russia.
The source emphasized that "the lawfulness of any use of force under [unilateral] EU sanctions will not be recognized by Russia and many other countries, making the threat of a direct military confrontation real."