Joint Statement by the U.S. Department of State and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Second U.S.-UK Strategic Sanctions Dialogue

The following is the text of a joint statement by the U.S. Department of State and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Begin text:

On Wednesday 8 May 2024, the UK Government hosted a senior U.S. Government delegation for the second U.S.-UK Strategic Sanctions Dialogue.

Talks, which took place in London and followed the inaugural Dialogue held in Washington, D.C. in July 2023, delivered on the commitment under the 2023 Atlantic Declaration  for a Twenty-First Century U.S.-UK Economic Partnership to strengthen coordination on sanctions and export controls.  This brought together both countries’ departments and agencies for strategic discussions on priorities across geographic and thematic sanctions and export controls regimes.  The UK delegation was led by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and included senior officials from His Majesty’s Treasury, and the Department of Business and Trade.  The U.S. delegation was led by the State Department and included senior officials from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Department of Commerce.

The United States and the United Kingdom reaffirmed that sanctions and export controls are essential tools of national security policy.  The delegations discussed the uses of targeted, coordinated sanctions and export control measures to deter and disrupt malign activity and to defend international norms.

In response to Russia’s war against Ukraine, together with our allies and partners, we have imposed unprecedented costs on the Kremlin through sanctions and export controls.  These measures are starving Russia’s military of essential components and technology, along with other items, and constraining Putin’s ability to wage war on Ukraine.  We will continue to work with allies to restrict sources of Russian revenue, including from services and key commodities such as energy and metals that allow Russia to fight.  Beyond Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom reaffirmed our shared commitment to opposing those who threaten peace, security, and stability in the Middle East, reflected in recent coordinated actions targeting Iranian malign actors, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders and financiers, and those enabling Houthi Red Sea attacks.  We are committed to holding to account those responsible for conducting or supporting terrorist and other destabilizing activities in the Middle East.

The United States and the United Kingdom continue to intensify our coordination on United Nations and autonomous sanctions regimes, bilaterally and with other partners.  This includes action to promote accountability for human rights violations and abuses, tackle corruption, counter terrorism, and weapons proliferation, and target cyber-criminal networks.

Across our programs, we commit to continue to work together and with allies to ensure the effectiveness of our sanctions and export control measures.  We will continue to collaborate to counter circumvention occurring in third country jurisdictions to strengthen our measures in support of shared national security and foreign policy goals.

End text.