London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Mar 02, 2026

Ukraine war: PM calls for 'step-by-step' move from Russian fuel

Ukraine war: PM calls for 'step-by-step' move from Russian fuel

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called for a "step-by-step" move away from dependence on Russian oil and gas as a result of the Ukraine war.

After talks with the Canadian and Dutch PMs, Mr Johnson said nations have to work together to secure alternatives.

Canada's PM Justin Trudeau said Europe did not want to repeat its mistake of being too dependent on Russia.

But Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte warned forcing a boycott now would have "enormous consequences".

And in Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz cautioned against banning Russian oil and gas.

In a statement, he said Europe had "deliberately exempted" Russian energy from sanctions because its supply cannot be secured "any other way" at the moment.

Mr Johnson's call came at a Downing Street news conference after he, Mr Trudeau, and Mr Rutte discussed new sanctions against Russia and aid for Ukraine.

Asked about claims that the US was in active discussions with European nations about banning imports of Russian oil, Mr Johnson said Western allies are "moving very, very fast" - and things which weeks ago would not have been considered are "now very much on the table".

He said he would set out a new energy supply strategy in the coming days, saying the UK was looking at using more of its own fossil fuels.

But he said the UK was not abandoning its commitment to cut carbon emissions.

The UK gets less than 5% of its gas from Russia - but for EU countries the figure is about 40%.

Mr Rutte told the news conference the change would have to be "diligent and not overnight", combined with a faster uptake of renewable energy.

An immediate change would "basically undermine supply chains the world over, particularly in Europe," he said, adding: "It would also have an impact on Ukraine itself."

Mr Johnson also announced a further £175m of UK support for Ukraine and Mr Trudeau said Canada would sanction 10 more Russian oligarchs and officials.

Later the prime minister joined a call with Mr Scholz, US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, where they said they were determined to continue raising the cost on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Johnson said previously unthinkable options for Western leaders were now "very much on the table"


Western nations are facing calls to do more as Russia continues its bombardment of Ukrainian cities.

The UK has also been criticised after it emerged that only about 50 refugees have been granted visas to enter the country as of Sunday.

During a visit to an RAF station with his fellow leaders, Mr Johnson said the UK was "processing thousands" and would be "very generous" to refugees, but would not let people in without any checks.

The government has so far announced two main schemes for people fleeing Ukraine to come to the UK - one which allows family members of people settled in the UK to join them and the other which allows organisations to sponsor a Ukrainian's entry.

Home Office sources have said they are in the early stages of exploring a scheme to provide humanitarian access to people fleeing the conflict.


But a senior government source told the BBC the focus was still on the two schemes for Ukrainian refugees that have already been announced, and the need for further action was being kept under review.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the Home Office was in a "complete mess" and the government must establish a "simple route to sanctuary", while Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the UK was "not doing anywhere near enough" to help refugees.

More than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine since the invasion began, according to the UN refugee agency.

Meanwhile, MPs are expected to vote later on the Economic Crime Bill, which aims to make it easier to sanction individuals.

In recent days, the government has announced asset freezes and travel bans on a number of oligarchs - but has faced accusations of being too slow to sanction those with links to President Putin.

The bill will set up a new register that will mean foreign owners of UK property must declare and verify their identities with Companies House.

MPs are expected to vote through all stages of the bill in a single sitting.

Labour said it would support the legislation, but wanted the proposed timeframe for property owners to register to be cut from six months to 28 days.


Boris Johnson says no European country had done more than the UK to settle vulnerable people since 2015

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says the Home Office is in a "complete mess" over how Ukrainians can get to the UK


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Violent Pro-Iranian Protesters Storm U.S. Consulate in Karachi
Missile Debris Sparks Fires at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port Near Palm Jumeirah
Iran Strikes U.S. Fifth Fleet Headquarters in Bahrain Amid Wider Gulf Retaliation
When the State Replaces the Parent: How Gender Policy Is Redefining Custody and Coercion
Bill Clinton Denies Knowing Woman in Hot Tub Photo During Closed-Door Epstein Deposition
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton Testifies on Ties to Jeffrey Epstein Before Congressional Oversight Committee
Dyson Reaches Settlement in Landmark UK Forced Labour Case
Barclays and Jefferies Shares Fall After UK Mortgage Lender Collapse Rekindles Credit Market Concerns
Play Exploring Donald Trump’s Rise to Power by ‘Lehman Trilogy’ Author to Premiere in the UK
Man Arrested After Churchill Statue Defaced in Central London
Keir Starmer Faces Political Setback as Labour Finishes Third in High-Profile By-Election
UK Assisted Dying Bill Set to Fall Short in Parliament as Regional Initiatives Gain Ground
UK Defence Ministry Clarifies Position After Reports of Imminent Helicopter Contract
Independent Left-Wing Plumber Secures Shock Victory as Greens Surge in UK By-Election
Reform UK Refers Alleged ‘Family Voting’ Incidents in By-Election to Police
United Kingdom Temporarily Withdraws Embassy Staff from Iran Amid Heightened Regional Tensions
UK Government Reaches Framework Agreement on Release of Mandelson Vetting Files
UK Police Contracts With Israeli Surveillance Firms Spark Debate Over Ethics and Oversight
United Airlines Passenger Hears Cockpit Conversations After Accessing In-Flight Audio Channel
Spain to Conduct Border Checks on Gibraltar Arrivals Under New Post-Brexit Framework
Engie Shares Jump After $14 Billion Agreement to Acquire UK Power Grid Assets
BNP Paribas Overtakes Goldman Sachs in UK Investment Banking League Tables
Geothermal Project to Power Ten Thousand Homes Marks UK Renewable Energy Milestone
UK Visa Grants Drop Nineteen Percent in 2025 as Migration Controls Tighten
Barclays and Jefferies Among Banks Exposed to Collapse of UK Mortgage Lender MFS
UK Asylum Applications Edge Down in 2025 Despite Rise in Small Boat Crossings
Jefferies Reports Significant Exposure After Collapse of UK Lender MFS
FTSE 100 Reaches Fresh Record Highs as Major Share Buybacks and Earnings Lift London Stocks
So, what's happened is, I think, government policy, not just under Labour, but under the Conservatives as well, has driven a lot of small landlords out of business.
Larry Summers, the former U.S. Treasury Secretary, is resigning from Harvard University as fallout continues over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
U.S. stocks ended higher on Wednesday, with the Dow gaining about six-tenths of a percent, the S&P 500 adding eight-tenths of a percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq climbing roughly one-and-a-quarter percent.
From fears of AI-fuelled unemployment to Big Tech's record investment, this is AI Weekly.
Apple just dropped iOS 26.4.
US Lawmakers Seek Briefing from UK Over Reported Encryption Order Directed at Apple
UK Business Secretary Calls on EU to Remove Trade Barriers Hindering Growth
Legal Pathways for Removing Prince Andrew from Britain’s Line of Succession Examined
PM Netanyahu welcome India PM Narendra Modi to Israel
Shadow Diplomacy: How Harry and Meghan’s Jordan Trip Undermines the Monarchy
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, comments on immigration in the UK.
Bill Gates, the UN and the WEF are attempting to construct "a giant digital gulag for all of humanity" via digital ID, CBDCs and vaccine passport infrastructure.
Britain’s Channel Crisis: Paying Billions While the Boats Keep Coming
Downing Street’s Veteran Deception Scandal
UK HealthCare Expands ‘Food as Health’ Initiative Statewide to Tackle Chronic Illness in Kentucky
Leonardo Chief Says UK Set to Decide on New Medium Helicopter Programme
UK Slows Chagos Islands Agreement After Concerns Raised in Washington
European and UK Stock Markets Reach Fresh Highs as Banks and Miners Lead Rally
UK Government Insists Chagos Islands Negotiations Continue After Minister’s ‘Pause’ Remark
No Confirmed Deal for Engie to Acquire UK Power Networks Amid Market Speculation
UK Reaffirms Updated Entry Requirements for Travellers as of February 25, 2026
General Atlantic to sell equity stake in ByteDance, valuing the company at $550 billion
×