UK Quietly Follows the Russian Oil Route
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The closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the Middle East crisis has driven up the cost of living in the United Kingdom. To offer its citizens some relief from this crisis, the British government has stepped forward by quietly easing sanctions imposed on Russian oil.
On Wednesday, permission was granted to import Russian oil that has been refined into jet fuel and diesel in third-party countries like India and Turkey.
Fuel prices have surged globally following the US-Israel war against Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz—the primary maritime route for nearly one-fifth of the world's oil transit. This has triggered intense fears of a jet fuel shortage.
UK Treasury Minister Dan Tomlinson stated that this change has been introduced "for a limited period and centered around a specific issue."
The UK had imposed strict sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The country still maintains that its sanctions are among the toughest in the world.
However, Emily Thornberry, Chair of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, remarked that Ukrainians would be deeply disappointed by this move.
She stated that Ukraine's allies should maintain pressure on the Russian oil sector, as it is "severely weakening the Russian economy."
The United States has also relaxed certain sanctions on Russia. Initially, there was a 30-day window permitted to purchase Russian oil shipments already at sea. Earlier this week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent further extended the duration of that sanction waiver.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, finance ministers from the US, UK, and other wealthy nations of the G7 coalition reaffirmed their "unwavering commitment to continue imposing severe costs on Russia" in a joint statement. AP
