The European Union has vowed to stand firm with its strategy to squeeze Russia's war economy, as the United Kingdom scrambles to reassure its allies that its latest decisions fall short of lifting sanctions.
The British government caused confusion and dismay on Tuesday when it published an open-ended licence allowing the import of diesel and jet fuel made from Russian crude oil in other countries, such as Turkey and India, where the oil is purchased at discounted prices.
A separate licence enables the provision of short-term service contracts with Russia's Sakhalin-2 and Yamal LNG projects until January 2027.
The publication caught Ukraine and its European allies by surprise.
The office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was in "very active communication" with its British counterparts to understand the details of the decision. Zelenskyy's sanctions envoy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, said the concerns related to the "additional revenues" that might be generated for Moscow's budget.
