The Government has said that any future UK support for United States operations to board sanctioned vessels would be considered on a case-by-case basis, with decisions informed by legal advice and operational circumstances.

Responding to questions in the House of Lords, Defence Minister Lord Coaker said that requests for Royal Navy or Royal Air Force support would be assessed individually, including scrutiny of the legal basis for any action. He added that the Ministry of Defence would not comment on hypothetical future operations.

“Any future requests from the US for Royal Navy and Royal Air Force support for operations will be considered on a case-by-case basis,” he told peers, adding that the Government would continue efforts to counter so-called shadow fleet activity linked to sanctions evasion.

The exchange followed recent US-led interdictions of vessels accused of operating under false flags to support Russian oil exports. Baroness Goldie welcomed those actions and asked whether the UK retained the capability to support similar operations independently, including through specialist forces. In reply, Lord Coaker pointed to a broader allied effort to disrupt sanctions evasion at sea, quoting a recent government statement that the UK would not “stand by as malign activity increases on the high seas” and would continue to work with partners to tackle shadow vessels.

Pressed by former First Sea Lord Lord West on the pace of action, Lord Coaker said that UK and allied measures had already had an impact, noting that Russia’s oil revenues were down compared with late 2024 and that hundreds of vessels had been sanctioned, with many removed from active service through coordinated action. Concerns were also raised about the availability of naval and air assets to support such operations. Lord Stirrup argued that while the UK had skilled personnel, maritime capacity remained under pressure. Lord Coaker replied that recent operations had involved RAF surveillance aircraft and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels, and that the United States had sought UK support during recent interdictions.

The legal basis for boarding vessels was another focus of the debate. Lord Coaker said that action taken to date had relied on vessels being deemed stateless or operating under false flags, which provided the necessary legal justification. He declined to speculate on scenarios involving vessels with an established nationality.

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