Sir Keir Starmer will ramp up pressure on Vladimir Putin by announcing fresh sanctions on Russia at the G7 summit. The Prime Minister is expected to meet world leaders, including Donald Trump, in Evian, France, to discuss support for Ukraine alongside its president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
Sir Keir is set to sanction several Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vessels moving sanctioned Russian LNG. This package is expected to bring the sanctioned shadow fleet and Russian LNG vessels to more than 600. New measures are also expected to target a Russian state-linked network, involved in covertly procuring Western technology for the country’s military.
The UK will also clamp down on several third-country suppliers helping Russia to illegally move money around the world.
Britain will power Ukraine’s nuclear plants for the next two years, Sir Keir will also announce.
The PM is expected to say: “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.
“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.”
Mr Trump and Sir Keir face the possibility of clashing over immigration and defence spending at the high-level meeting following the sudden resignation of John Healey as defence secretary due to inadequate funding.
The US president has heaped pressure on Europe to ramp up its spending on protecting the continent in a bid to slash dependence on America.
But the leaders will be buoyed by the “hugely significant moment” of a “breakthrough” deal between the US and Iran.
The Prime Minister welcomed news of a deal at a press conference in No 10 on Monday.
