EU softens Russia sanctions to prevent Chinese acquisition of Greek LNG shipping assets

The EU modified its 21st sanctions package against Russia to permit Greek shipping firms to transport Russian LNG to third countries for one year. This concession was made to prevent a Greek veto and mitigate the risk of Chinese entities acquiring strategic shipping assets that might be offloaded if Greek operators were forced to exit the market. The move highlights the tension between enforcing sanctions and preventing unintended shifts in maritime infrastructure control.