The United Kingdom Has Surrendered. Who Defeated It? 0 19

According to the government of the United Kingdom on its website, the document comes into effect on May 20, 2026, has no expiration date, and will be periodically reviewed by the Home Secretary. The Home Secretary has the right to change, revoke, or suspend the license at any time, and will "try" to notify about the revocation decision four months in advance, the statement notes.

The decision comes against the backdrop of a global energy crisis triggered by the war in Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil supplies previously passed. Due to the closure of this strategically important waterway, energy and aviation fuel prices have risen sharply worldwide, and airlines have begun to cancel flights. The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, called the current oil crisis more extensive than the crises of 1973, 1979, and 1990 combined. In mid-April, he warned that Europe had enough jet fuel for about six weeks.

The United Kingdom banned the import of Russian oil and coal back in 2022 — immediately after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In October of last year, London also rejected petroleum products derived from Russian oil in third countries. In the summer of 2025, the United Kingdom joined the EU's decision to lower the price cap on Russian oil. In February of this year, Britain temporarily exempted the Druzhba oil pipeline from sanctions for a year and a half (until October 14, 2027), The Moscow Times reminds us.