Starmer announces meeting with Zelenskyy and warns of dangerous advantage for Putin
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Getty Images)
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will hold a meeting in the near future, the head of the British government said during a briefing.
He noted that he remains in contact with leaders from the Persian Gulf, Europe, and other regions. In particular, this morning, March 16, he met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
"I'll be meeting President Zelenskyy soon because it's vital that we continue to focus on supporting Ukraine. We cannot allow the war in the Gulf to turn into a windfall for Putin," Keir Starmer emphasized.
Rising oil prices due to the war
After the outbreak of the war between the United States and Israel against Iran, oil prices surged sharply. This happened after Iranian forces began striking the largest oil storage facilities and oil fields in the Persian Gulf countries.
Iran also blocked the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s key routes for global oil exports.
According to the Financial Times, the Russian budget is receiving up to $150 million in additional revenue each day due to the rapid rise in energy prices.
In just the first 12 days of the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran, Russia’s treasury increased by between $1.3 billion and $1.9 billion, while the price of Urals crude oil jumped from $52 to $70–80 per barrel.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that Washington, D.C. has effectively eased sanctions pressure on Russian exports in an attempt to contain gasoline prices in the United States. This has allowed Moscow to remove the previous discounts offered to India and China.
