Ukrainian Climate Group Razom We Stand congratulates Sir Keir Starmer and the UK Labour Party on their recent election victory. However, the group emphasises the urgent need to reconsider and cancel the previous government’s recent energy contract with TotalEnergies, a firm previously accused of helping fund war atrocities in Ukraine, and still importing Russian gas to Europe.
The four-year contract, worth up to 8 billion, was agreed just months ago by the previous conservative government. It means that U.K. hospitals, town halls, and government departments will be heated via a massive energy deal with a subsidiary of a firm still importing Russian gas to Europe. TotalEnergies is a French fossil fuel giant which, two years after Russia rolled its tanks into Ukraine, continues to be a major importer of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) into Europe – meaning they continue to fund Putin’s war chest at the expense of innocent Ukrainian lives.
Both the previous and current UK governments have publicly opposed Russian fossil fuel exports to Europe, which help finance Vladimir Putin’s war. But under this deal, billions of pounds of British taxpayers’ cash will ultimately flow to a firm still trading in Russian gas.
Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Director of Razom We Stand, demands: “While we applaud the UK Labour Party’s victory, it is imperative they address a glaring problem in the UK’s stance on Ukraine. The recent energy deal with TotalEnergies and the previous UK government, a major buyer of Russian gas, directly funds Putin’s war machine and it’s ongoing brutality. Under this terrible agreement, billions of pounds of British taxpayers’ money will flow to a company trading in Russian gas, undermining the UK’s stance against Russian aggression. This contract must be cancelled immediately to ensure the UK is not sending blood money to Putin’s regime. The new UK government should prioritise global peace and the lives of Ukraine’s people over cheap energy from a company that has contributed financially to the brutal war against us here in Ukraine. Anything less is a betrayal of trust of the people of Ukraine, and the values the UK claims to stand for.”
Our @SvitlanaRomanko requests of the new UK government: “While we applaud the UK Labour Party's victory, it is imperative they cancel the recent energy deal with TotalEnergies and the previous UK government, a major buyer of Russian gas, which directly helps funds Putin's war…
— RazomWeStand 🇺🇦 (@RazomWeStand) July 8, 2024
–ENDS–
Razom We Stand is a Ukrainian organisation active internationally, calling for a total and permanent embargo on Russian fossil fuels and an immediate end to all investment into Russian oil and gas companies by phasing out fossil fuels globally.
Svitlana Romanko has appeared in top-tier international press, including Financial Times, Bloomberg, The Guardian, Politico, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, The Hill, Der Spiegel, Le Monde, and more.
Press contact:
Paraic Walker
International Communications Specialist Razom We Stand
