EU officials have called on Russia to return more than 400 leased planes it “stolen” from foreign companies after the West canceled the lease of the planes. This was stated in March by Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Yuri Borisov, emphasizing that all foreign leased aircraft will remain in Russia after the expiration of their contracts, European media reported.
Russia’s war in Ukraine was a trigger for Western countries: European authorities immediately terminated the leases of more than 500 aircraft, of which 78 aircraft Russia lost as a result of arrests abroad, another 400 units remained in Russia.
In response, on March 14, Putin signed a law allowing the country’s government to register the rights to foreign aircraft leased by domestic companies. In addition, Bermuda and Ireland, where most Russian aircraft are registered, have announced the suspension of certificates of airworthiness of Russian aircraft. Bermuda-registered aircraft use Aeroflot, S7 and others. In response, Russia has adopted an accelerated procedure for issuing certificates of Russian jurisdiction. At a plenary session earlier this week, members of the European Parliament “condemned” the actions of the Russian side and demanded the return of the plane, saying that “such theft is unacceptable.”
MEPs also insisted that the Russian authorities would be held responsible for endangering the lives of their own citizens by putting these planes into operation, saying they could not meet the necessary safety requirements. However, the Russian side does not accept the accusation. In addition, European officials called on the EU to re-impose tougher sanctions on Russia and called on a bloc of 27 countries to help transport operators with ties to the Russian market.
EU officials also called for further sanctions against Russia’s maritime sector and a ban on ships moored in Russia en route to EU ports. In addition, all vessels wishing to stay in EU ports should be banned from refueling in Russian ports, the European resolution said.
European Parliament officials also called on member states to support hotels and short-term rental services that accept Ukrainian refugees, as they support Ukraine. They also called on the Commission to set up an interim EU funding program to help travel companies hire people from Ukraine.