Britain says no other country has sanctioned all of Russia's ten largest oil producers, a step the government announced as Prime Minister Andy Burnham reached the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Dublin. According to the UK government, he travelled there after attending the COP 31 summit in Türkiye.
What the sanctions target
The new measures cover shadow fleet vessels used to move Russian oil and LNG, large coal companies, and LLC Vostok Oil, which the government describes as Rosneft's flagship Arctic oil and gas project. Slavneft is also listed, which the government says completes the full set of top ten oil producers. London says the package now reaches almost every stage of the oil and gas revenue chain, including producers, trading networks, supply chains and ships, with the aim of curbing Russia's ability to raise money for the war.
Ukraine on the summit agenda
Leaders have gathered in Dublin days after peace talks in Abu Dhabi. According to the government, Burnham will ask representatives of around 50 countries to keep up pressure on Putin so that he engages seriously with negotiations. He is expected to chair, together with President Zelenskyy, a small group session on Ukraine looking at how to build on the Abu Dhabi talks.
The government says Burnham will argue that robust, legally binding security guarantees for Ukraine must be a core element of any peace process, and that he will support Zelenskyy's call for a full and immediate ceasefire. He is expected to say the UK welcomes progress but that complacency would be a mistake, and that Europe should take a full role in negotiations while keeping Russia under pressure.
Drone manufacturing and security talks
Under the 100-Year UK-Ukraine partnership, Ukrainian drone company UForce announced hundreds of highly skilled jobs and 60 apprenticeships in the UK as it opens new factories. The announcement was made on board HMS Prince of Wales. The government said British suppliers will provide over 70% of the content of every drone boat built in the UK.
Burnham is also due to join Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in leading a defence and security roundtable. Leaders are expected to discuss Europe's reaction to a harder threat environment, especially hybrid threats, and to work toward a joint approach.
All details of the sanctions and planned meetings come from the UK government's own statement.
