Keir Starmer has pledged to impose further sanctions on Russia and provide hundreds of millions of pounds in energy support for Ukraine, as he addressed the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. The British prime minister vowed to “choke off” Russian revenue by targeting Moscow’s finance networks and shadow fleet, which includes vessels carrying oil and liquefied natural gas.
Starmer is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. He will announce new sanctions against Russia, days after British troops seized a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel. The measures will expand the number of targeted vessels to over 600 and target a state-linked network covertly procuring Western technology for Russia’s military.
The prime minister also pledged £210 million for Ukraine’s nuclear plants over the next two years, through UK Export Finance investment in Urenco, a multinational uranium enrichment company. The deal, agreed with Zelenskyy last week, will supply enriched uranium to Ukraine’s nuclear power producer, Energoatom, supporting UK jobs and exports.
Starmer stated, “We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes and this announcement reinforces that. Putin should roll back his tanks, end his barbaric strikes and come to the negotiating table.” The G7 summit also focuses on shoring up US support for Ukraine and addressing the peace deal between the US and Iran.
