Article Summary

The article argues that the EU's plan for a full ban on maritime services for Russian oil — meant to cut off a key source of revenue for Russia's war — has stalled largely because of resistance from EU countries like Greece and Malta that profit from the trade, and because the U.S. under a potential Trump administration isn't supporting coordinated action. It uses statements from EU officials and details about past sanctions to make the case that the ban is both necessary and feasible, while downplaying broader risks like global market instability that might justify caution. The piece pushes the reader to see national opposition within the EU as self-serving and to favor stronger, centralized enforcement of sanctions.