Sir Keir Starmer has suggested that the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East represent two fronts of the same war. Speaking at the Joint Expeditionary Force summit in Finland, the Prime Minister said Western countries are having to tackle a 'war on two fronts'.
European leaders gathered in Helsinki amid concern that the war in Iran is drawing attention and resources away from Ukraine. Starmer told broadcasters: 'The focus here is very much on Russian aggression in Ukraine and we have to accept that there’s a war on two fronts – there’s the Iranian conflict and the continuing Ukrainian conflict.'
The Prime Minister also announced that he has given permission for British forces to board and seize ships in Russia's so-called 'shadow fleet' that operate off the coast of the UK. These tankers are used to illicitly transport sanctioned Russian oil by flying the flag of different nations. The move is intended to force the ageing ships to take a longer and more costly route to avoid interception.
Starmer began his trip by meeting Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Finland has the longest border with Russia of any Nato member country, and the two leaders discussed efforts to maintain pressure on Moscow with sanctions and tackling the shadow fleet. Reports suggest the war in Iran has handed an economic boost to Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the price of oil spikes while ships are blocked from passing through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
The visit comes amid questions over how prepared the UK is for war, after it emerged the Navy needed to borrow a German warship for an operation in the Arctic. The patrol was due to be led by HMS Dragon, before that ship was instead deployed to the Mediterranean to help defend Cyprus. Defence Secretary John Healey said: 'This is what good allies do. The Germans have stepped in to supply their warship, while I can deploy HMS Dragon to reinforce defences in the Middle East.' He added he was 'not happy with the situation we have with British warships', blaming the Conservatives for cutting the number of frigates and destroyers by a quarter.
