President Emmanuel Macron announced that the French Navy intercepted yesterday (Monday) a ship “suspected of sailing under a false flag” and “involved” in “fuel transportation” operations “south of the French island of La Reunion,” located in the Indian Ocean.
Macron said via “X”: “This morning (Monday), the National Navy intercepted the oil tanker DF Peak at a distance of more than 450 nautical miles south of the island of La Reunion,” according to what Agence France-Presse reported.
Macron showed footage of the operation and stressed that “France is determined to combat the shadow fleet,” a term used to refer to the ships that Russia uses to circumvent Western sanctions.
The Benin-flagged oil tanker DF Peak has been on the European Union's list of ships subject to sanctions, and has been suspected of belonging to the Russian shadow fleet since June 25, 2024, when it was named "Kaliningrad."
For its part, the French Armed Forces General Staff reported via “X” that “a document audit conducted by the inspection team after boarding the ship confirmed suspicions about the irregularity of the flag raised on it,” explaining that “the ship’s course was diverted under the accompaniment of units from the National Navy.”
There are more than 700 ships currently on the European sanctions list. Ships suspected of being used by Russia to export fuel, despite US, British and European sanctions, sometimes change their names or flags to circumvent oversight processes.
On Tuesday, the European Union will open two new negotiating chapters with Ukraine, which represents an essential step in the long path for Kiev to join the bloc, according to what Agence France-Presse reported.
On Monday, the Ukrainian Parliament approved legislation signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky guaranteeing the rights of national minorities, removing a major obstacle to the country’s efforts to join the European Union.
The situation of the Hungarian-speaking minority in western Ukraine has long been a source of tension with Budapest, which has obstructed Kiev's accession to the European Union, since it formally applied for membership days after the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.
On Monday, European Council President Antonio Costa welcomed “the decision of the European Union member states today to open two additional negotiating groups with Ukraine and Moldova.”
He added: “We look forward to opening all remaining negotiating groups as soon as possible.” He continued: “Your future is within the European Union. Let's keep the momentum going.”
Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban praised the step, considering it a “necessary condition” for her country’s agreement to start a new round of Ukrainian-European talks.
For his part, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Madiar said that the passage of the law constitutes a “positive indicator.”
Countries seeking to join the bloc must embark on extensive reforms to comply with EU standards in multiple areas, from environmental policy to agriculture.
Thirty-five negotiating chapters must be completed before the twenty-seven member states take a unanimous decision to accept a new member into the bloc.
Final approval of membership requires the approval of each member state, whether through parliament or popular referendum.
Poland said on Monday that two Turkish citizens were arrested in Germany in connection with a fire that broke out at the Starlink station in Poland, adding that it believed Russia was involved in the incident.
Officials from several European Union member states have warned for months that Russia is waging sabotage, cyber and other multi-media attacks across Europe aimed at undermining support for Ukraine. Moscow says that these accusations are not based on any evidence, and that they are the result of an excessive state of anti-Russianism.
The fire that broke out at the Starlink station in central Poland destroyed the power system and a backup electricity generator at the station. Poland said at the time that it believed the fire was an act of sabotage aimed at disrupting internet services, including those used by the Ukrainian military.
Poland's Minister for Coordination of Special Services, Tomasz Szymoniak, said in a press conference: “We have no doubt that the Russian services are responsible for this act of sabotage, and it is worth noting that the Russian services are increasingly resorting to individuals connected to the criminal world.”
Billionaire Elon Musk launched Starlink services over Ukrainian airspace in 2022 after Kiev appealed for assistance in the first days following the comprehensive Russian invasion. Poland stated earlier that it would bear the costs of Ukraine's participation in this service.
