LONDON — The British government is promising to ban Russian oligarchs with links to the Kremlin from entering the U.K. as part of its latest set of sanctions marking three years since Russia’s full- scale invasion of Ukraine.
The rules — unveiled just days before Prime Minister Keir Starmer heads to Washington, D.C. for crunch talks with U.S. President Donald Trump — would prevent “elites” linked to the Kremlin from entering British territory, the U.K. government said.
That includes those deemed to have provided “significant support” or who owe their “significant status or wealth” to President Vladimir Putin’s regime — as well as people “who enjoy access to the highest levels” of the regime, the British Home Office said.
Britain — particularly its City of London financial powerhouse — has long faced accusations it is a soft touch on Russian wealth, but the U.K. government has unveiled a swathe of sanctions on the country since Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. A further set of curbs is expected from the U.K.’s Foreign Office Monday afternoon.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis told Times Radio Monday the latest move would “not only put further pressure on Russia, on the Russian elites and on Putin’s regime, but it will also bolster our own U.K. national security, because these are not people coming here to do good things.”
The move comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity from Ukraine’s Western allies as Trump presses ahead with Russian peace talks without any direct involvement of Ukraine.
Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke Sunday evening ahead of a summit to signal backing for Kyiv. They agreed to show “united leadership in support of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression,” with Macron meeting Trump Monday.
The pair also said the “U.K. and Europe must continue stepping up to meet their security needs.”
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