Yesterday at the United Nations General Assembly, Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela asserted his strongest position in favour of international rule-of-law and Ukraine’s territorial integrity since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started. His position came as a surprise after having remained very cautious on the issue with the excuse of neutrality. Now, the Prime Minister says that Ukraine should even take back Crimea.
The Prime Minister’s position has shifted, along with that of President Donald Trump, but the main factor driving these calls is the progress being made by the Ukrainian Armed Forces as Russia’s offensive in Pokrovsk falters and its economy is crippled by the destruction of key oil refineries. More than ever it appears that Ukraine may actually achieve total victory.
Malta is still in time to take several measures to settle its place on the right side of history. And it can start with the obvious.
Last week, the President of Panama, Jose Raul Mulino, met with President Zelensky at the UNGA. President Jose Raul Mulino announced that Panama had deregistered up to 200 ships that are involved in the Russian oil trade. In contrast, in Malta, we have appartchiks and government propogandists invoking Malta’s right to keep these kind of vessels on our registry. Malta has to follow the current and renewed trend in the clampdown on the Russian oil trade by making news reviews of its ship register and start delisting ships which are involved in the Russian oil trade.
Secondly, Malta should stop shying away from its responsibilities over Hurd’s Bank and take immediate action. Hurd’s Bank is an area where many illegalities take place and the Russian oil trade is in full swing. This is also a national security issue and Malta should secure Hurd’s Bank by controlling the exit and entry of Hurd’s Bank. Malta does have the technical and military capabilities to do this because Hurd’s Bank is very close to the coast and it can be secured with both coastal and maritime security measures.
Malta is also serving as a financial and commercial jurisdiction for Russian sanction-breakers and its biggest oil bunkerer is also involved in the Russian oil trade. Ever since sanctions on Russia were put in place, people had enough time to divest from sanctioned-activity. Prolonging such activity today, means that you are intentionally and willingly refusing to follow the law apart from profiting on the back of a genocidal war against a European nation. People have no excuses whatsoever for doing business with Russia at this point.
Taking these measures would also secure Malta’s international reputation and effectively add value to our financial and commercial systems. This should be the obvious and inevitable conclusion.
Website Editor
Historian and Publisher
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