Washington, DC [US]: US President Donald Trump has declined to say whether he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin following the seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker by American forces in the North Atlantic, an operation that has sharply escalated tensions with Moscow.
Responding to a question during an interview with Fox News, Trump avoided a direct answer and instead described the military action, saying Russian naval assets moved away quickly once US forces arrived. He claimed the seized vessel was under US control and that unloading operations were underway.
However, maritime analytics firm Kpler has said the tanker was not carrying any oil at the time it was seized. The vessel, earlier known as Bella 1, had been sanctioned by the United States in 2024 for its alleged role in transporting illicit Iranian oil as part of what Washington describes as a “shadow fleet.”
US forces boarded the tanker on Wednesday after pursuing it for several weeks across international waters. The ship was intercepted about 190 miles south of Iceland, according to ship-tracking data. MarineTraffic records showed the vessel making an abrupt turn around the time of the operation, after which Russian authorities confirmed they had lost contact with it.
The tanker’s history includes a series of flag and identity changes. Initially sailing under the Guyana flag, the crew reportedly refused boarding during an earlier US Coast Guard attempt last month and diverted into the Atlantic. Soon after, a Russian flag was painted on the vessel’s hull, and it reappeared in Russian shipping records under the new name Marinera.
CNN reported that US Navy SEALs were involved in the boarding, having been deployed by the US Army’s elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. The United Kingdom also assisted in the operation following a request from Washington, according to the UK defence ministry. Russian state media aired grainy footage that appeared to show a vessel shadowing the tanker days before the seizure.
The operation coincided with heightened military activity in Europe. US aircraft, including V-22 Ospreys and AC-130 gunships, were observed operating from British air bases in the days leading up to the seizure, adding to broader international unease.
Russia strongly condemned the action, with its Transport Ministry calling it a violation of international law under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Russian Foreign Ministry demanded the return of its citizens aboard the tanker, while senior lawmakers described the move as “modern-day piracy.” President Vladimir Putin has not yet commented publicly.
China also criticised the seizure, accusing the United States of violating international law and opposing what it described as illegal unilateral sanctions not authorised by the UN Security Council.
Despite the backlash, the White House signalled that such operations would continue. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration would enforce sanctions against vessels involved in illicit oil trade, asserting that President Trump remains committed to policies he believes serve US interests.
US authorities have carried out similar actions in recent weeks, including the interception of other tankers allegedly linked to sanctioned oil shipments from Venezuela. Officials say these measures are part of a broader effort to curb illegal oil trading networks, even as critics warn of growing diplomatic and military risks.
