Despite stringent sanctions imposed on Vladimir Putin’s regime due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Britain continues to engage in trade with Russia, amounting to a staggering £1.9 billion annually, according to official statistics. Recent data from the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) indicates that in the previous year, the UK exported goods and services worth approximately £1.4 billion to Russia, while imports from the nation totaled around £467 million.
Although these figures represent a decline compared to previous years, and are significantly lower than the levels observed before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, critics have expressed their dismay, labeling the continued trade as “shocking” in light of Moscow’s relentless military actions.
This revelation comes amid Sir Keir Starmer’s firm stance against Putin and his actions in Ukraine. The DBT has maintained that the majority of these imports and exports are intended for humanitarian purposes, thus not breaching the UK’s sanctions against Putin and those associated with his regime. Furthermore, it was reported that imports from Russia have plummeted by an impressive 99.1 percent since the invasion and the implementation of sanctions.
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The notable decline in trade includes sanctions on all items found on the battlefield, with a commitment from the UK to “continue to escalate economic pressure until the brutal invasion of Ukraine is brought to an end.” However, Liberal Democrat MP Martin Wrigley, who serves on the Commons Science and Technology Committee, raised valid concerns about whether any of the goods and services exported from the UK to Russia—such as medicinal and pharmaceutical products, cars, and organic chemicals—might be “unintentionally” utilized by the Russian military against Ukrainian forces.
In a letter addressed to Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, Wrigley articulated his alarm, stating: “It’s concerning to see millions of pounds in British exports continuing to flow into Putin’s Russia. People will be shocked to see business of that scale continue despite the Kremlin’s vile assault on Ukraine.” He emphasized the need for the UK government to maintain pressure on the Russian economy and to rigorously enforce the sanctions regime to penalize Putin’s aggression. Additionally, he urged the government, along with EU partners, to fully commit to seizing the frozen Russian assets across the UK and Europe, which total an estimated £40 billion, to help fund Ukraine’s defense efforts.
The DBT’s statistics reveal that the total trade of £1.9 billion between the UK and Russia represents a 17.3 percent decrease compared to the previous year, accounting for just 0.1 percent of the total value of UK trade. In 2024, Russia was identified as the UK’s 68th largest trading partner.
- Top five exported goods:
- Medicinal and pharmaceutical products: £338.6 million
- Beverages and tobacco: £117.9 million
- Organic chemicals: £65.1 million
- Cars: £40.6 million
- Toilet and cleansing preparations: £34.7 million
- Top five exported services:
- Travel: £143 million
- Insurance and pensions: £133 million
- Other business services: £126 million
- Financial services: £99 million
- Telecommunications, computer and information services: £94 million
- Top five goods imported from Russia:
- Miscellaneous metal manufactures: £27.4 million
- Aircraft: £25.5 million
- Unspecified goods: £5.1 million
- Other manufactures: £770,000
- Vegetables and fruit: £620,000
- Top five service imports from Russia:
- Other business services: £238 million
- Insurance and pensions: £77 million
- Travel: £41 million
- Telecoms and IT: £17 million
- Government services: £14 million
In his correspondence with Reynolds, Wrigley expressed his “deep concern” regarding the trade statistics, reinforcing his steadfast support for Ukraine, who have been victims of Russian aggression. He implored the government to ensure that the exported goods, especially medicinal and pharmaceutical products, are not inadvertently aiding the Russian military’s efforts against Ukraine.
Wrigley asked, “Can you reassure me where these medicinal and pharmaceutical products are going and whether they are being used for humanitarian purposes, or are they at risk of being used for military purposes?” He also sought clarification on the government’s commitment to ending all exports to Russia, except under registered exceptional circumstances, to prevent unintended support for the Russian war effort.
The government acknowledged that while there are exemptions to the sanctions, certain cases may allow for licenses for “specified activities that would otherwise be prohibited by the regulations,” and these are assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Business Secretary. A government spokesperson stated, “Together with our international partners, we have implemented on Russia the most comprehensive package of sanctions ever imposed on a major economy. Over £20 billion of pre-war UK trade with Russia is now under sanctions.” They also noted that while UK imports from Russia have decreased by 99 percent, there are specific exemptions, including for certain food items and medicines.
