Starmer risks Trump’s wrath as minister says UK will not follow US in easing Russia sanctions
Britain will not follow the US in easing sanctions on Russia amid rising oil prices, a government minister has said, as Sir Keir Starmer risks falling out with Donald Trump once again.
The United States has announced it is temporarily allowing countries “currently stranded at sea” to purchase Russian oil, despite the country’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
The move sparked fears that Vladimir Putin could use the outbreak of war in Iran and the easing of sanctions as an opportunity to revive Russia’s wartime economy; foreign secretary Yvette Cooper accused Russia and Iran of trying to “take over the global economy”.
Concerns that instability in the Middle East could hit the cost of living worldwide after Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, rose above $100 (£74) a barrel for the first time since 2022 on Monday.
However, British Energy Minister Michael Shanks said that despite the US move, Britain will not change its stance on sanctions against Russia.
“The UK has been really clear that our sanctions on Russia stay in place,” he told Sky News.
“And look, this is a moment where I suspect the Kremlin sees this as an opportunity to fix their ailing economy. It’s a great shame, because we have to do everything we can to make sure we put every possible pressure on Russia so that we can win this war in Ukraine.”
He added: “We will maintain our sanctions, we will continue to do what we have done around the shadow fleet and we will not change our position on this in any way.
“It’s really important that we don’t do anything that could help the Russian war machine in the middle of a really critical moment in this conflict against Ukraine.”
The position risks sparking fresh anger from the US president, who has repeatedly criticized Sir Keir’s response to the war that has erupted in the region.
The Prime Minister was forced to reject criticism from opponents and allies that Britain did not act quickly enough when the war began and said he “stands by” the decision not to join the US-Israeli initial strikes on Tehran.
Meanwhile, speaking during a visit to Saudi Arabia on Friday, the foreign secretary echoed defense secretary John Healey’s concerns that Putin’s “hidden hand” lies behind Iran’s war tactics.
“We have seen these ties between Russia and Iran for a long time,” he said.
He added: “We are very clear about the threat to the global economy and the well-being of all of us from both Russia and Iran.”
But Ms Cooper declined to criticize the easing of American sanctions on some Russian oil in the face of rising prices, saying it was a “private, targeted issue”.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced late Thursday night that it would temporarily allow countries to purchase Russian oil “currently stranded at sea” in an effort to stabilize global oil markets.
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent wrote of
Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev said the measure would affect 100 million barrels of Russian crude oil.
This comes after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to attack any ship passing through the waterway vital for global oil supplies.
The effective blockade of the strait caused oil prices to rise again to $100 a barrel on Thursday, raising the threat of hyperinflation in Britain and around the world.
Against this background, Sir Keir said he would work to “de-escalate the situation” and coordinate with other world leaders on oil supplies.
The International Energy Agency on Wednesday said it would release 400 million barrels of oil to global markets, including 13.5 million from the United Kingdom, to prevent short-term market disruptions.
Meanwhile, in the UK, Rachel Reeves vowed to “suspicious” fuel prices while insisting she “will not tolerate” energy companies exploiting the war in the Middle East.
Chancellor and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband will meet energy bosses on Friday to warn against profiteering amid rising oil prices following the outbreak of the Iran war.
Among those most affected by this situation are customers using home heating fuel that is not covered by Ofgem’s energy price cap, while motorists are also struggling with rising petrol and diesel prices at the pump.
