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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives for the opening events of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on June 15 (local time), where discussions are set to center on geopolitical security and energy resilience for Ukraine. / Photo courtesy of AFP, Yonhap News Agency

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged at the G7 summit in France to choke off Russia's financial pipeline through fresh sanctions while delivering a major energy aid package to Ukraine.

Attending the G7 summit that commenced in Evian-les-Bains on June 15 (local time), Prime Minister Starmer stepped forward to assert leadership amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.

With Russia continuously pounding Ukraine's electrical grid and disabling critical infrastructure, Starmer announced a 210 million pound (approximately 430 billion won) financial package spread over the next two years to safeguard Ukraine's nuclear energy sector.

"We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes until victory is achieved, and today's announcement reaffirms that unwavering commitment," Starmer emphasized. "Russian President Vladimir Putin must withdraw his tanks, cease these barbaric assaults, and come to the negotiating table."

British government officials disclosed that UK Export Finance (UKEF) will back Urenco, a multinational uranium enrichment consortium, to supply enriched uranium to Energoatom, Ukraine's state-run nuclear power operator.

The UK government holds a 33 percent stake in Urenco. Prime Minister Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously finalized the framework of this agreement during a recent bilateral meeting at 10 Downing Street.

The latest transaction extends an existing bilateral agreement that secured nuclear fuel deliveries to Ukraine for a two-year period.

British authorities noted that the export deal is projected to stimulate domestic job growth and boost trade, with one-third of the contracted uranium supply sourced directly from Urenco's processing facility in Chester, England.

Prime Minister Starmer is scheduled to hold individual bilateral meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 16, as the first official working sessions of the summit get underway.

The Evian G7 summit is widely anticipated to focus on rallying renewed international consensus to solidify Western military and financial support for Ukraine.

Concurrently, the recent peace memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, alongside the structural framework for the unhindered reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, are expected to dominate the multilateral plenary sessions.

Separately, Starmer may face tough questioning from U.S. President Donald Trump during the gathering. The White House recently urged Downing Street to reconsider its newly unveiled domestic policy banning social media access for children under the age of 16, which was announced on June 15.

According to an administrative source, President Trump is slated to conduct a series of high-profile bilateral meetings between June 15 and 17, with schedules arranged for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as the heads of state of Egypt, India, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

                                                                                                             Kim Hyun-min