Russian Shadow Fleet Vessel Leruo

Lord Pannick Excerpts

Monday 26th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wood of Anfield (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for that question. It is early days to look at any effect on the global price. The calculation made at the time, a couple of weeks ago, was that it would have a negligible impact on global prices. As I and my ministerial colleagues have said before, it is not a choice that we would have made. But our challenge now is to work with the United States, because without the United States there can be no long-run solution to a conflict that supports a peaceful, stable Ukraine.

[Lord Pannick (CB)]

Can the Minister assure the House that the decision not to intercept this vessel has nothing whatever to do with the policies of the President of the United States or, indeed, with representations made by the Government of the United States?

[Lord Wood of Anfield (Lab)]

Decisions about all interceptions are made using criteria that, sadly, I am reluctant to discuss for the reason I gave at the beginning: advertising them and discussing their complexities would aid only the Russians and the Russian war effort. All decisions are made using these criteria. They are hard and complicated decisions, but the criteria are used for all such cases.