UK Opens Door to Diesel and Jet Fuel Made From Russian Crude

The UK government has quietly loosened part of its Russia sanctions regime, issuing a new general trade licence that allows imports and related trade involving diesel and jet fuel refined in third countries from Russian crude oil.

The new authorization, published Tuesday by the UK Department for Business and Trade, creates a standing exemption to restrictions that had targeted so-called “laundromat refinery” trade flows—where Russian crude is processed abroad and re-exported as refined fuels.

The license took effect Wednesday and is of indefinite duration.

Under the license, prohibitions covering Russian-origin processed oil products will no longer apply to diesel (under commodity codes