UK aligns with US on partial sanctions rollback against Russia

The United Kingdom has moved to ease certain sanctions on Russia amid a worsening global fuel crisis caused by the war involving the United States and Israel against Iran, according to a report by The Guardian. In doing so, Britain has become the first Western country to align with Washington in taking steps toward a gradual rollback of some restrictions imposed on Moscow.

Under the new measures, British authorities have authorised the import of diesel and jet fuel derived from Russian oil when processed in third countries. In addition, London has lifted restrictions on the provision of services to two major Russian energy projects, Sakhalin-2 and Yamal LNG. This allows UK-based companies to insure and finance shipments of Russian liquefied natural gas destined for third countries, as well as to transport these supplies by sea.

The measures are being implemented through time-limited licenses valid for three months, after which they will be subject to review. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the decision as routine, stating that such steps are “standard practice for ensuring market stability, used by both the current government and previous administrations.”

The policy shift has triggered sharp political backlash at home. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch used Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons to accuse Starmer of having “quietly announced the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil.”

Facing criticism from both the opposition and Ukraine, the UK government issued an apology over how the decision was handled. Deputy Trade Minister Chris Bryant acknowledged in parliament that the rollout of the licensing framework had been “clumsily” executed.

At the same time, British officials have sought to reassure Kyiv that the adjustments do not represent a weakening of the overall sanctions regime. This comes after Ukrainian representatives warned that the changes could enable Moscow to generate additional revenue to support its military activities.

According to international media assessments, the partial easing of US and UK sanctions is expected to provide short-term relief to global energy markets by alleviating fuel shortages. However, analysts note that the primary beneficiaries of the move are likely to be Russia, as well as major energy consumers such as China and India.

By Tamilla Hasanova