In London this week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy will address several pressing issues during their talks. These discussions will focus on Moscow’s use of a shadow fleet for transporting oil despite Western sanctions, Ukraine’s request to use UK-supplied missiles against Russian targets, and the potential benefits of updating the US ceasefire plan for Gaza.
This visit is significant as Blinken will be the highest-ranking US official to visit the UK since the Labour Party’s election victory in July and will precede talks between President Joe Biden and Labour leader Keir Starmer in Washington.
The two leaders are expected to assess the current state of the conflict in Ukraine, particularly as the country faces setbacks on the eastern front. Starmer aims to address concerns that he is not as assertive in supporting Ukraine as the previous Conservative government, following some muted criticism from Ukrainian sources.
Blinken and Lammy to Tackle Ukraine Conflict, Russian Oil Sanctions, and Gaza Ceasefire Talks in London Meeting
In July, a call to action was led by the UK to combat Russia’s covert oil transport methods, endorsed by 39 countries. This initiative, aimed at enforcing a $60-a-barrel price cap on Russian oil, has so far seen little success in curbing the use of shadow tankers.
These vessels, often operating under risky conditions and without Western insurance, continue to evade sanctions. A recent study highlighted that only a small fraction of these shadow tankers have faced sanctions.
The study also revealed that Russian oil export revenues were substantial despite the price cap, partly due to ineffective enforcement. Additionally, the report noted that the West had not sufficiently targeted the core vessels within the shadow fleet, with only a few of these key tankers facing sanctions.
Blinken and Lammy will also deliberate on Kyiv’s request for authorization to use Storm Shadow missiles supplied by the UK against Russian targets. Former UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has argued for lifting restrictions to allow Ukraine to use these missiles more effectively.
Furthermore, discussions may address security guarantees for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concerning the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza-Egypt border, a key issue in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Hamas.
