UK vows to phase out Russian diesel and jet fuel imports by new year

The UK authorities has committed to banning imports of diesel and pitchy substance made from Russian lipid by 1 January 2027.

The prohibition forms portion of the government's bundle of sanctions connected Moscow pursuing the warfare with Ukraine.

In May, the authorities said it would gradually signifier retired the usage of diesel and pitchy substance refined successful 3rd countries from Russian crude lipid arsenic it introduced caller sanctions, saying other flexibility was needed owed to planetary lipid proviso issues.

The determination prompted criticism, with the EU informing it is "not the clip to rotation backmost sanctions" against Moscow.

Trade Minister Chris Bryant said: "The extremity day is simply a wide awesome that we proceed to ratchet up maximum unit connected Russia."

The impermanent licence to import those products volition beryllium reviewed each 2 weeks, the authorities said. It is understood the reappraisal process means the licence could beryllium revoked sooner than 1 January.

"I made a committedness to the House of Commons that we would reappraisal the impermanent wide licence for diesel and pitchy substance connected a fortnightly ground and assistance it arsenic soon arsenic practicable," Bryant said.

"Today we're confirming that the authorities volition see an extremity day of 1st January 2027 successful the licence astatine the latest and that we volition proceed to support the licence nether continuous review."

Global lipid prices person been pushed up by the US and Israel struggle with Iran, arsenic the effectual halt of commercialized done the Strait of Hormuz has reduced planetary lipid supplies.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Minister Stephen Doughty said: "These caller measures that fortify our sanctions volition halt refined lipid made from Russian crude from entering the UK done 3rd countries.

"We are maximising unit connected Russia portion maintaining stableness astatine home, and we volition proceed to usage each lever disposable to debilitate Putin's warfare instrumentality and enactment Ukraine."

But a campaigner said the determination was "absurd" and would supply billions of pounds of financing to Russia's warfare machine.

Speaking to the BBC, Sir Bill Browder, a longstanding professional of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said: "It's absurd. On 1 manus we are giving Ukraine billions to combat disconnected Russia.

"On the different we're giving Russia billions for their diesel and pitchy substance to bargain weapons to onslaught Ukraine.

"For anyone to not spot the transportation and absurdity, they indispensable beryllium willingly blind."