Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has warned that Britain and its allies cannot afford to overlook the threat posed by Russia while focused on the conflict in the Middle East. Speaking at the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) leaders' summit in Helsinki, Finland, he described the situation as a 'war on two fronts' involving Ukraine and Iran.
Sir Keir announced that British forces would begin seizing Russian shadow fleet tankers that are breaching sanctions. These vessels, often ageing and flying flags of other countries, illicitly transport oil and goods to evade Western restrictions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Prime Minister also revealed that the Ukrainian navy would participate in a JEF exercise for the first time this autumn, praising Kyiv's capabilities in countering drone warfare. The JEF, a UK-led coalition of ten northern European nations, aims to defend against Russian incursions.
During the summit, Sir Keir met Finnish President Alexander Stubb and observed a demonstration by Finnish border guards boarding a patrol ship, illustrating how JEF allies could intercept shadow fleet vessels. A Government spokesman declined to comment on specific operations, stating that any target ship would be individually assessed before action.
The UK has previously assisted in seizing shadow fleet tankers, including the Marinera in January, with support from RAF aircraft and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Closing British waters to these ships is intended to force them onto longer, costlier routes or risk interception.
