Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled new sanctions to put pressure on Russia over its four year war in Ukraine, as well as a deal for a UK company to supply enriched uranium to Ukraine nuclear plans.
New sanctions due to be announced on Tuesday at the G7 meeting of world leaders in Evan, France will target Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers and finance networks used to circumvent western sanctions and support military procurement.
A major energy deal to supply UK nuclear fuel to nuclear power stations in Ukraine, supporting hundreds of British jobs in the North West of England, will also be unveiled.
The annual G7 meeting gets under way in Evian, France, on Tuesday morning, with the first roundtable session focused on building peace and security for Ukraine and for Europe.
The PM is expected to speak during the session, telling leaders that the G7 should collectively go further to ensure Ukraine secures the just and lasting peace it deserves.
Sir Keir will reiterate that the fighting needs to stop, an immediate ceasefire should be implemented, and that negotiations should start from the current line of contact.
Sir Keir said: “Russia’s aggression threatens not just Ukraine, but the security of all Europe. That is why the UK is stepping up – choking off the revenues that fuel Putin’s war and powering Ukraine through the winters ahead.
“We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes and this announcement reinforces that. Putin should roll back his tanks, end his barbaric strikes, and come to the negotiating table.”
Keir Starmer is attending a G7 meeting in Evian, France
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The UK will claim that it is the first mover on sanctioning several Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vessels moving sanctioned Russian LNG, bringing UK sanctioned shadow fleet and Russian LNG vessels to more than 600.
Officials pointed to the major military operation to interdict the Smyrtos vessel in the early hours of Sunday morning as evidence of increased pressure on Moscow from the UK.
Separately the UK has now pledged to power Ukraine’s nuclear plants for the next two years with £210million of UK Export Finance support to enable UK-based Urenco to supply enriched uranium to Ukraine’s nuclear power producer, Energoatom.
The deal was agreed between the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy during their meeting at Downing Street last week.