London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Feb 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
Starmer Arrives in Shanghai to Promote British Trade and Investment
Harry Styles, Anthony Joshua and Premier League Stars Among UK’s Top Taxpayers
New Epstein Files Include Images of Former Prince Andrew Kneeling Over Unidentified Woman
Starmer Urges Former Prince Andrew to Testify Before US Congress About Epstein Ties
Starmer Extends Invitation to Japan’s Prime Minister After Strategic Tokyo Talks
Skupski and Harrison Clinch Australian Open Men’s Doubles Title in Melbourne
DOJ Unveils Millions of Epstein Files, Fueling Global Scrutiny of Elite Networks
France Begins Phasing Out Zoom and Microsoft Teams to Advance Digital Sovereignty
China Lifts Sanctions on British MPs and Peers After Starmer Xi Talks in Beijing
Trump Nominates Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair to Reorient U.S. Monetary Policy Toward Pro-Growth Interest Rates
AstraZeneca Announces £11bn China Investment After Scaling Back UK Expansion Plans
Starmer and Xi Forge Warming UK-China Ties in Beijing Amid Strategic Reset
Tech Market Shifts and AI Investment Surge Drive Global Innovation and Layoffs
Markets Jolt as AI Spending, US Policy Shifts, and Global Security Moves Drive New Volatility
U.S. Signals Potential Decertification of Canadian Aircraft as Bilateral Tensions Escalate
Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee Sentenced to 20 Months for Bribery
Tesla Ends Model S and X Production and Sends $2 Billion to xAI as 2025 Revenue Declines
China Executes 11 Members of the Ming Clan in Cross-Border Scam Case Linked to Myanmar’s Lawkai
Trump Administration Officials Held Talks With Group Advocating Alberta’s Independence
Starmer Signals UK Push for a More ‘Sophisticated’ Relationship With China in Talks With Xi
Shopping Chatbots Move From Advice to Checkout as Walmart Pushes Faster Than Amazon
Starmer Seeks Economic Gains From China Visit While Navigating US Diplomatic Sensitivities
Starmer Says China Visit Will Deliver Economic Benefits as He Prepares to Meet Xi Jinping
UK Prime Minister Starmer Arrives in China to Bolster Trade and Warn Firms of Strategic Opportunities
The AI Hiring Doom Loop — Algorithmic Recruiting Filters Out Top Talent and Rewards Average or Fake Candidates
Amazon to Cut 16,000 Corporate Jobs After Earlier 14,000 Reduction, Citing Streamlining and AI Investment
Federal Reserve Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Powell Faces DOJ Criminal Investigation During 2026 Decision
Putin’s Four-Year Ukraine Invasion Cost: Russia’s Mass Casualty Attrition and the Donbas Security-Guarantee Tradeoff
Wall Street Bets on Strong US Growth and Currency Moves as Dollar Slips After Trump Comments
UK Prime Minister Traveled to China Using Temporary Phones and Laptops to Limit Espionage Risks
Google’s $68 Million Voice Assistant Settlement Exposes Incentives That Reward Over-Collection
Kim Kardashian Admits Faking Paparazzi Visit to Britney Spears for Fame in Early 2000s
UPS to Cut 30,000 More Jobs by 2026 Amid Shift to High-Margin Deliveries
France Plans to Replace Teams and Zoom Across Government With Homegrown Visio by 2027
Trump Removes Minneapolis Deportation Operation Commander After Fatal Shooting of Protester
Iran’s Elite Wealth Abroad and Sanctions Leakage: How Offshore Luxury Sustains Regime Resilience
U.S. Central Command Announces Regional Air Exercise as Iran Unveils Drone Carrier Footage
Four Arrested in Andhra Pradesh Over Alleged HIV-Contaminated Injection Attack on Doctor
Hot Drinks, Hidden Particles: How Disposable Cups Quietly Increase Microplastic Exposure
UK Banks Pledge £11 Billion Lending Package to Help Firms Expand Overseas
Suella Braverman Defects to Reform UK, Accusing Conservatives of Betrayal on Core Policies
Melania Trump Documentary Sees Limited Box Office Traction in UK Cinemas
Meta and EssilorLuxottica Ray-Ban Smart Glasses and the Non-Consensual Public Recording Economy
WhatsApp Develops New Meta AI Features to Enhance User Control
Germany Considers Gold Reserves Amidst Rising Tensions with the U.S.
Michael Schumacher Shows Significant Improvement in Health Status
Greenland’s NATO Stress Test: Coercion, Credibility, and the New Arctic Bargaining Game
Diego Garcia and the Chagos Dispute: When Decolonization Collides With Alliance Power
Trump Claims “Total” U.S. Access to Greenland as NATO Weighs Arctic Basing Rights and Deterrence
Air France and KLM Suspend Multiple Middle East Routes as Regional Tensions Disrupt Aviation
×