Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-26

[Tamas]

Another US-Russia meeting, with "land deals on the table"

Putin meeting set for Thursday, Witkoff says, with Ukraine 'land deals' on the table

• U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced a new meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that's set to take place on Thursday.
• The Kremlin had requested the talks, he said, with discussions over a U.S.-led 20-point peace plan making progress.
• "Land deals" were one of the last remaining obstacles in peace talks, he told CNBC.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/21/putin-witkoff-trump-ukraine-peace-deal-talks-progress-land-deals.html

Well Trump met Zelensky in Davos today I think? Makes sense for Russia to book in a meeting soon after to reset the Orange God's brain to its default Russian position.

[Duque de Bragança]

At last

We will let nothing pass': France intercepts Russia-linked oil tanker in Mediterranean
FRANCE
France's navy on Thursday intercepted an oil tanker suspected of belonging to Russia's sanctioned "shadow fleet" in the Mediterranean Sea. French President Emmanuel Macron said the operation, which took place between Spain and Morocco, was carried out with the help of several allies.
Issued on: 22/01/2026 - 16:24
1 min Reading time

By:
FRANCE 24


France's navy, with the help of allies, on Thursday boarded a tanker alleged to be from Russia's sanction-busting "shadow fleet" in the Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron said.

"This morning, the French Navy boarded and searched an oil tanker from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag," he said on X.

"The operation was carried out on the high seas in the Mediterranean, with the support of several of our allies," he added, saying the vessel had been "diverted".

"We will let nothing pass," said Macron.

"The activities of the shadow fleet help finance the war of aggression against Ukraine," he added.

"This morning, the French Navy boarded and searched an oil tanker from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag," Emmanuel Macron said on X.

Local maritime authorities said the navy seized an oil tanker called "Grinch" between Spain and Morocco.

"After the team boarded, an examination of documents confirmed the doubts as to the regularity of the flag," the Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture said.

The ship "is currently being escorted by the national navy to a point of anchorage for further verifications", it added.

"We are determined to uphold international law and to ensure the effective enforcement of sanctions," Macron said in a post about the interception, with a photo showing a French helicopter hovering over a ship.

Western countries have slapped sanctions on a number of oil tankers accused of transporting Russian oil in defiance of sanctions imposed by the US, EU and UK following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

A figaro article adds the UK and other allied countries were involved
https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/la-marine-francaise-a-arraisonne-un-petrolier-en-provenance-de-russie-en-mediterranee-annonce-emmanuel-macron-20260122

Another Figaro article says Zelensky approved, unsurprisingly:

https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/en-direct-forum-de-davos-apres-sa-volte-face-sur-le-groenland-donald-trump-presente-son-conseil-de-paix-et-rencontre-volodymyr-zelensky-20260122

Le président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky a salué jeudi l'interception par la marine française d'un pétrolier russe sanctionné en Méditerranée, affirmant qu'une telle action était «exactement le genre de décision nécessaire» pour empêcher les revenus pétroliers russes de financer la guerre en Ukraine.

«Les navires doivent être saisis. Et ne serait-il pas juste de confisquer et de vendre le pétrole transporté par ces pétroliers ?», a-t-il déclaré sur X.

More of the same, he added.

[Jacob]

[Crazy_Ivan80]

now they need to keep it up.
Might also be a good idea to provide Ukraine with some tankers themselves that can be outfitted as drone factories and launchers to sink shadow fleet ships in international waters. Don't flag it as Ukrainian of course.