UK to impose new sanctions on Russia on third anniversary of Ukraine invasion

The United Kingdom will unveil a new package of sanctions against Russia on Monday, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Sunday.  The sanctions will come into force on Monday, which marks three years since the start of its war with Ukraine

“This is also the time to turn the screws on [Vladimir] Putin’s Russia,” Lammy said in a statement.

“Tomorrow, I plan to announce the largest package of sanctions against Russia since the early days of the war—eroding their military machine and reducing revenues fuelling the fires of destruction in Ukraine,” Lammy said.

The move comes amid a recent push by US President Donald Trump to negotiate peace in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Moreover, Kyiv and its European allies have been excluded from the talks with Russia about the conflict’s future.

Lammy emphasised that this is a critical moment in the history of Ukraine, Britain, and all of Europe, and that now is the time for Europe to double down on its support for Ukraine.

As of January 2025, London has sanctioned 1,900 individuals and organisations linked to Putin’s government since the war began.

EU’s new round of sanctions

Its sanctions target Russia’s financial, aviation, military, and energy sectors through bank asset freezes, travel bans, and trade restrictions.

EU countries last week agreed on a new round of sanctions, including a ban on imports of Russian aluminium, which is set to be formally adopted on Monday.

Military backing for Kyiv

In his statement, Lammy emphasised London’s military backing for Kyiv. In recent months, the UK has pledged £3 billion ($3.78 billion) annually to Ukraine and has expressed readiness to provide UK troops as part of peacekeeping forces if necessary.

“Off the battlefield, we will work with the US and European partners to achieve a sustainable, just peace, and in doing so, remain clear that there can be nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” Lammy said.

On Saturday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held separate phone calls with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reinforcing Lammy’s message.

Starmer is set to visit Washington to meet Trump on Thursday, hoping to act as a “bridge” between the US and Europe to ensure territorial and security guarantees for Kyiv in the event of a deal to end the war.

The task appears increasingly challenging following a public spat last week between Zelensky and Trump, who called the Ukrainian leader a “dictator” and described his talks with Russia as “good.”

Trump also accused Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron of doing nothing to end the war in a Fox News interview on Friday.

European countries fear that if Washington forces Ukraine into a bad deal, it could leave Putin claiming victory and put the continent at the mercy of an emboldened Moscow.