UK boosts Ukraine support with nuclear deal and new Russia sanctions
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Getty Images)
At the G7 summit, the United Kingdom announced new sanctions against Russia and signed a nuclear agreement with Ukraine, according to Politico.
New sanctions
The new British package of measures is primarily aimed at Russia’s shadow fleet, coming immediately after British forces intercepted a sanctioned tanker over the weekend.
Financial networks used to circumvent sanctions and supply weapons to the Russian military are also subject to restrictions.
A separate element of the package is an embargo on a number of vessels transporting sanctioned Russian liquefied natural gas.
Nuclear agreement with Ukraine
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have agreed on the supply of enriched uranium to the Ukrainian nuclear operator Energoatom for the next two years. The agreement will be implemented by the British company Urenco with £210 million in support from UK Export Finance.
"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," the Prime Minister says.
G7 and Ukraine
The first session of the G7 summit is dedicated to peace and security for Ukraine and Europe. According to officials, Starmer will call on G7 leaders to work together to do more to ensure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
Over the weekend, the British military intercepted a Russian tanker subject to sanctions in the English Channel for the first time. On June 10, Ukrainian forces attacked the tanker WEST Horizon in the Black Sea; the vessel lost propulsion due to damage to its engine.
Pressure is mounting from other quarters as well. Over the past three years, India has revoked the certification of more than 200 ships in the shadow fleet, making it harder for them to access ports. Meanwhile, an international investigation has revealed that, starting in the spring of 2025, Wagner Group mercenaries began boarding tankers to prevent the West from forcibly intercepting the vessels.
