UK hits Russia with new sanctions as peace talks stall

LONDON — The U.K. is targeting Russia’s defense and financial industries with 100 fresh sanctions, as the U.S. declines to ramp up pressure on Moscow.

The U.K.’s new raft of sanctions was co-ordinated with the EU’s release of its own latest package of measures against Russia, as European allies bid to keep hopes of a ceasefire alive.

Companies and individuals supporting Russia’s military, energy exports and propaganda efforts were all on the list released by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, as well as financial institutions helping to fund the invasion of Ukraine.

The U.K. will also sanction 18 more ships in the “shadow fleet” carrying Russian oil, and is in discussion with partners about tightening the price cap on Russian oil.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “We have been clear that delaying peace efforts will only redouble our resolve to help Ukraine to defend itself and use our sanctions to restrict Putin’s war machine.”  

He said Vladimir Putin was “showing his true colors as a warmonger” in the wake of Saturday’s drone strikes against Ukraine, including a strike on a bus in Sumy reported to have killed nine civilians.  

Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy accused Putin of “trying to buy time to continue war” after a call between the Russian leader and Donald Trump yielded no progress.

Despite the U.S. president posting on Truth Social that “the tone and spirit of the conversation were excellent,” the Kremlin said afterwards that the pair did not discuss a timeframe for a ceasefire. 

In a subsequent call between Trump, Zelenskyy, France’s Emmanuel Macron, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Germany’s Frederich Merz and the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen, a clear split emerged between the U.S. approach and the Europeans’.

The German account of the call spelled out that the Europeans intend to increase pressure on the Kremlin through new sanctions if Putin continues to avoid negotiations.

Trump, however, told reporters he wasn’t imposing fresh sanctions because “there’s a chance of getting something done.”