France's President Emmanuel Macron (C) looks on during the 7th European Political Community (EPC) Summit at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark on October 2, 2025. LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP
French President Emmanuel Macron called on Europe on Thursday, October 2, to take coordinated action against Russia's so-called shadow fleet and follow his country's lead in clamping down on vessels used to bust Western sanctions. France is currently investigating a Benin-flagged ship that is among hundreds of aging tankers blacklisted by the European Union for aiding Moscow to circumvent oil export curbs imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
"It is extremely important to increase the pressure on this shadow fleet, because it will clearly reduce the capacity to finance this war effort," Macron told a leaders' gathering in Denmark. The French leader suggested European countries belonging to the "coalition of the willing" in support of Kyiv work in coordination with NATO to optimize "common action" in that regard.
French authorities have detained two senior crew members of the Boracay, which is positioned off France's western coast, and launched a probe over the crew's "failure to justify the nationality of the vessel" and "refusal to cooperate." Ship tracking data shows the tanker was off the Danish coast last month during mysterious drone flights that sparked security concerns and airport closures in the country.
