At the G7 summit, Keir Starmer announced plans for the UK to power Ukraine’s nuclear plants for the next two years to support access to electricity for winters ahead
Ukrainian families who have suffered from Russian attacks on vital power infrastructure will be supported by the UK under a significant two-year energy deal.Keir Starmer announced plans for the UK to power Ukraine’s nuclear plants for the next two years to support access to electricity. The PM vowed to protect the war-torn country through “winters ahead”.
Mr Starmer unveiled the £210million support plan on Monday evening at the G7 summit in Evian, France, where he will call on world leaders to go further in securing peace for Ukraine.
Downing Street will also on Tuesday announce a major new sanctions package directly targeting Russia’s illicit shadow fleet.
In a first of its kind mission, British forces stormed a sanctioned Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel for the first time in the early hours of Sunday. The Smyrtos vessel was detained and provisionally moved to an anchorage off the South Coast of England.
The 700-vessel “ghost fleet” – which flies false flags to evade Western sanctions – carries 75% of Russia’s sanctioned oil, providing a critical lifeline for Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin to fund his illegal war machine.
They also pose significant threats to the environment and critical undersea cables.
No10 will set out the new sanctions on Tuesday morning, which will include a crackdown on vessels moving Russian Liquid Natural Gas.
Mr Starmer will use the G7 summit to try to reset his reputation on defence after John Healey quit as Defence Secretary last week over insufficient military funding.
Al Carns, who also walked out the door as Armed Forces minister, voiced his unhappiness with “the level of transformation” in the Defence Investment Plan, “particularly the lessons from Ukraine”.
No10 last night insisted learning lessons from Ukraine will be a “central focus” of the long-delayed plan.
The defence spending row could leave Mr Starmer facing potentially awkward meetings when he meets world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, at the G7. The PM will take part in a round table on Ukraine and European security on Tuesday morning.
The PM on Monday night said: “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.”
The new energy deal was agreed at a No10 meeting between the PM and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week.
It will see UK-based supplier Urenco given £210m of UK Export Finance to provide enriched uranium to Ukraine’s nuclear power producer Energoatom, which provides over 50% of the country’s electricity.
