West is fighting a ‘war on two fronts’ in Middle East and Ukraine, Starmer says

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East represent two fronts of the same war, Sir Keir Starmer has suggested.

European leaders are gathering for the Joint Expeditionary Force summit in Finland today, amid concern the war in Iran is drawing attention and resources away from Ukraine.

Speaking in Helsinki, the Prime Minister said Western countries are having to tackle a ‘war on two fronts’.

His visit comes after he gave permission for British forces to board and seize ships in Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet’ that operate off the coast of the UK.

These tankers are used to illicitly transport sanctioned Russian oil out of the country by flying the flag of different nations.

The government’s move is intended to force the ageing ships to take a longer and more costly route in order to avoid being intercepted.

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Starmer told broadcasters this morning: ‘The focus here is very much on Russian aggression in Ukraine and we have to accept that there’s a war on two fronts – there’s the Iranian conflict and the continuing Ukrainian conflict.

‘Today I’ll be talking to allies about what more we can do.

Of course, there will be discussions about defence spend, also defence capability.

‘And today I’ll be making clear to them that I’m giving permission for the UK to intercept shadow fleet, Russian shadow fleet ships.’
The PM began his trip by meeting Alexander Stubb, the President of Finland.

Finland has the longest border with Russia of any Nato member country, and the two leaders discussed efforts to maintain pressure on Moscow with sanctions and tackling the shadow fleet.

Reports suggest the war in Iran has handed an economic boost to Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the price of oil spikes while ships are blocked from passing through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

Starmer’s visit has come amid questions over how prepared the UK is for war, after it emerged the Navy needed to borrow a German warship for an operation in the Arctic.

The patrol was due to be led by HMS Dragon, before that ship was instead deployed to the Mediterranean to help defend Cyprus.

Defence Secretary John Healey told LBC: ‘This is what good allies do.

The Germans have stepped in to supply their warship, while I can deploy HMS Dragon to reinforce defences in the Middle East.

‘But that group, that ship, will still be commanded by a Royal Navy Commodore.’
He added he was ‘not happy with the situation we have with British warships’, saying the Conservatives ‘cut the number of frigates and destroyers by a quarter’.

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