Russia's Ministry of Transport on Wednesday condemned the United States for seizing a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic, saying that no country has the right to use force against ships operating on the high seas under the jurisdiction of another state.
The U.S. European Command announced earlier on the day that it had seized M/V Bella 1, an oil tanker registered as a Russian vessel which was expected to load oil in Venezuela, for "violations of U.S. sanctions" in the North Atlantic.
The Russian Ministry of Transport later confirmed on social media that it lost contact with Bella 1, also known as the Marinera, after the U.S. Navy boarded the vessel in the high seas around 15:00 Moscow time (1200 GMT) on Wednesday.
The ministry said in a statement that under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, freedom of navigation applies to the high seas, and no state has the right to use force against vessels operating within the jurisdiction of other states.
Russia's Foreign Ministry also said that it is closely following reports regarding U.S. military personnel boarding the Marinera. It demanded that the U.S. side treat all Russian nationals on board the vessel humanely, respect their rights and interests, and not impede their speedy return to their homeland.
Reports said the Marinera has been under the U.S. sanctions targeting Iran. It was intercepted by the U.S. in the Caribbean on Dec 21, 2025, while en route to Venezuela to load oil. It successfully prevented the U.S. forces from boarding and then turned toward the Atlantic Ocean, chased all the way by U.S. military ships.
Subsequently, the oil tanker changed its country of registry to Russia and obtained a temporary permit to sail under the flag of the Russian Federation, with the new name the Marinera.
Russia reportedly had dispatched a submarine and other naval forces to escort the Marinera. However, a United States Coast Guard cutter seized the oil tanker in the waters between Iceland and the United Kingdom before the Russian military vessels arrived.
Also on Wednesday, the Times newspaper reported that the UK Air Force provided intelligence and air support for the U.S. seizure of the Marinera, including multiple types of British aircraft tracking and monitoring in relevant airspace before and after the operation.
Russia condemns U.S. seizure of Russian-flagged oil tanker
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday Russia is fully prepared and willing to negotiate with Ukraine at a U.S. military facility in Anchorage, Alaska, while his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a face-to-face meeting.
At a meeting with heads of major international news agencies attending the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said Russia remains prepared to pursue a negotiated settlement based on a framework discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting in Anchorage in August 2025.
He said Russia is ready to accept the compromises discussed at the meeting and expressed hope that the Ukrainian side would also agree to them.
Ukraine has previously rejected the Anchorage framework, as it calls for Ukraine to cede territory.
Meanwhile, Putin said Russian troops are advancing along the entire line of contact and have taken complete control of the Luhansk region, 85 percent of the Donetsk region and 80 percent of the Zaporizhzhia region.
Russia's Presidential Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev said at the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday that despite efforts by forces seeking to prolong the war to disrupt talks between Russia and the U.S., bilateral engagement on Ukraine has made substantive progress.
Dmitriev dismissed reports that Russia-U.S. contacts have stalled, accusing other European nations of spreading disinformation to hinder the peace process.
Dmitriev also said that on Wednesday he had spoken by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner and discussed bilateral economic cooperation.
He said the U.S. side had underscored the need to embrace peace rather than engage in constant provocations and confrontations.
The U.S. has been pushing for peace and Ukraine should join the process, Dmitriev noted, adding there were plans for further contacts with Witkoff and Kushner next week.
Later on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published an open letter to Putin, proposing to end the conflict through direct talks between the two leaders.
Relevant parties, including European countries and the U.S., should be part of the peace negotiations, the letter stated.
Ukraine is ready for a complete ceasefire during the talks and proposes an exchange of prisoners of war on the principle of "all for all," Zelensky also said in the letter.
Russia ready to talk with Ukraine at U.S. military base: Putin
Russia ready to talk with Ukraine at U.S. military base: Putin
