Indonesia Defies EU Sanctions, Buys 150 Million Barrels of Russian Oil

Indonesia is moving forward with importing 150 million barrels of Russian oil, ignoring new European Union sanctions that target an Indonesian port. The decision highlights a growing split between Western efforts to isolate Moscow and Asia’s need for energy security. On Thursday, the European Commission announced its 20th package of sanctions against Russia. For the first time, the measures include Indonesia’s Karimun Oil Terminal. The EU says the terminal has “connections with the shadow fleet and circumvention of the oil price cap.” The shadow fleet refers to ships that secretly transport Russian oil to avoid Western restrictions. The price cap is a limit Western countries set on how much they pay for Russian oil. Despite this, Jakarta is pressing ahead with the deal. The move shows that Indonesia prioritizes stable energy supplies over following Western sanctions.