Today the UK has announced a ban on Russian maritime services related to shipping of fossil fuel exports, which help contribute to Russia’s war chest. Ukrainian campaign group Razom We Stand welcomes the move, yet raises fears of the UK “slow walking” the phase out of these services, and calls for the immediate suspension of UK government contracts with TotalEnergies, a firm also collaborating with Russia, helping raise money for the Kremlin.
Dr Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Executive Director of Razom We Stand, said:
“As missiles and drones continue to devastate Ukraine daily, the UK government’s move to impose a maritime services ban on Russian LNG is a long-overdue and welcome step. Quickly cutting off UK maritime support for Russian LNG exports will choke the revenues fueling Putin’s brutal war machine—revenues that have sustained atrocities from the start. After over three years of tireless advocacy, we applaud this decisive action, which ends maritime collaboration that has funnelled billions into Russia’s war chest. However, we also call for further action.
But the UK’s government must not “slow-walk” the planned phase-out, and Prime Minister Starmer must immediately cancel the indefensible energy contract with TotalEnergies, a firm still collaborating with Russia, helping raise billions for their war machine. Only with rapid, bold steps like these can we move closer to a just peace in Ukraine.”
Razom We Stand celebrates today after years of campaigning, especially for Seapeak (based in Glasgow) to be banned from shipping Russian LNG gas. Razom We Stand also urges the UK government to quickly align with and expedite G7 and EU-wide sanctions and take strong measures, including secondary sanctions against Russian LNG exports and its shadow fleet ships.
