The United Kingdom has secretly eased sanctions on Russian oil to import crude from the country currently engaged in war against Ukraine.
The move comes as the world faces consequences of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran in the form of a severe fuel crisis.
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil trade route, in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli strikes. Countries around the world are facing fuel shortages as the energy prices skyrocket amid supply chain disruption.
Even the UK, a Ukrainian ally and staunch critic of Russia’s military campaign, quietly relaxed sanctions of Russian crude oil to meet the market demands.
Critics have accused the British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of letting Ukraine down and providing a major boost to the Russian economy amid ongoing conflict.
Under the relaxed sanctions, the UK will now allow the imports of Russian jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries.
Government officials have defended the measures as “protection of the UK’s national interest,” whereas critics argue that the development puts a “question mark” on UK-Ukraine friendship.
Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko said, “I am deeply disappointed. I can’t understand it. I think it’s a wrong decision.”
Earlier, the United States also eased sanctions on imports of Russian oil, allowing limited purchases of Russian crude amid a global fuel shortage linked to escalating tensions involving Iran.
2026-05-21 00:13:00
