EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced fresh energy sanctions on Russia and a deal to supply Ukraine’s nuclear plants for the next two years, as he meets partners at the G7 summit.
The U.K.’s latest package of measures is expected to target Russia’s illicit shadow fleet, following the first interception of a banned oil tanker by British forces at the weekend, as well as the finance networks used to circumvent sanctions and arm the Russian military.
This will include an embargo on a number of vessels moving sanctioned Russian liquefied natural gas.
Starmer also hailed an agreement, using £210 million of UK Export Finance, to support U.K.-based company Urenco to supply enriched uranium to Ukraine’s nuclear power producer, Energoatom. The deal was agreed between the prime minister and Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy during their recent meeting.
The British PM said: “Russia’s aggression threatens not just Ukraine, but the security of all Europe. That is why the U.K. is stepping up — choking off the revenues that fuel Putin’s war and powering Ukraine through the winters ahead.”
It comes as the G7 gets under way with the first session focused on building peace and security for Ukraine and Europe. Starmer is expected to speak during the session, according to officials, and will tell fellow leaders that the G7 should collectively go further to ensure Ukraine secures the just and lasting peace it deserves.