Vladimir Putin and Keir Starmer Has Keir Starmer really cut back on the UK’s oil sanctions against Russia? The government is facing intense backlash after reports that Labour decided to water down its penalties against Moscow in response to the emerging oil crisis. But ministers have robustly rejected accusations that they are easing up on Vladimir Putin. Here’s what you need to know. Why Are Sanctions Against Russia So Important? Europe has been trying to wean itself off cheap Russian oil imports to punish Putin after his 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The UK has been leading that charge as a prominent ally to Kyiv. It has repeatedly slapped sanctions on Russian industry to damage its economy and war machine. It was revealed billions of barrels of fuel were still being imported into the UK through a loophole in the sanctions last October. The Centre for Research and Clear Air estimated £1.8bn of oil products – made from Russian crude and transported via third countries – imported to the UK since December 2022. So Labour announced …