UK to Host Baltic, Nordic Leaders to Find New Ways to Isolate Russia

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace speak with members of the crew of HMS Dauntless, a Type 45 air-defense destroyer of the Royal Navy that has undergone a refit, as they visit Cammell Laird shipyard in Merseyside Britain, March 10, 2022. REUTERS/Phil Noble/Pool
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace speak with members of the crew of HMS Dauntless, a Type 45 air-defense destroyer of the Royal Navy that has undergone a refit, as they visit Cammell Laird shipyard in Merseyside Britain, March 10, 2022. REUTERS/Phil Noble/Pool
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UK to Host Baltic, Nordic Leaders to Find New Ways to Isolate Russia

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace speak with members of the crew of HMS Dauntless, a Type 45 air-defense destroyer of the Royal Navy that has undergone a refit, as they visit Cammell Laird shipyard in Merseyside Britain, March 10, 2022. REUTERS/Phil Noble/Pool
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace speak with members of the crew of HMS Dauntless, a Type 45 air-defense destroyer of the Royal Navy that has undergone a refit, as they visit Cammell Laird shipyard in Merseyside Britain, March 10, 2022. REUTERS/Phil Noble/Pool

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will host leaders from countries along Russia's northwestern flank next week to discuss ways they can respond to President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, including finding new ways to isolate Russia's economy.

The leaders from countries in the Joint Expeditionary Force, a British-led grouping made up of Denmark, Estonia, Finland and Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden will meet for talks in London on Tuesday.

The leaders are expected to agree to more military exercises in the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea and will discuss the war in Ukraine and energy security, Johnson's office said, Reuters reported.

"European security has been shaken by the attack of Russia on Ukraine, and alongside our partners, we will take action to ensure we emerge stronger and more united than before," Johnson said in a statement.

"Ensuring we are resilient to Putin's threats needs to go beyond our military footing - together alongside our North and Baltic Sea partners we must ensure we are insulated from Russia's interference and impact on our energy supplies, economy and values."

Britain has imposed sanctions on hundreds of Russian individuals and entities, promised to phase out Russian oil imports and banned Russian companies from raising debt and equity in its financial center.



Putin Tells Netanyahu Issues Surrounding Iran’s Nuclear Program Must Be Solved Through Diplomacy

 In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with service members as part of the "Time of Heroes" program, which aims to integrate veterans into high-ranking public positions, at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 12, 2025. (AFP)
In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with service members as part of the "Time of Heroes" program, which aims to integrate veterans into high-ranking public positions, at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 12, 2025. (AFP)
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Putin Tells Netanyahu Issues Surrounding Iran’s Nuclear Program Must Be Solved Through Diplomacy

 In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with service members as part of the "Time of Heroes" program, which aims to integrate veterans into high-ranking public positions, at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 12, 2025. (AFP)
In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with service members as part of the "Time of Heroes" program, which aims to integrate veterans into high-ranking public positions, at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 12, 2025. (AFP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in separate telephone conversations on Friday, told Iran's president that Moscow condemned Israel's actions against Tehran and told Israel's prime minister that questions around Iran's nuclear program could only be solved through diplomacy.

A Kremlin statement said Putin told Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian that Russia "condemns the actions of Israel taken in violation of the UN Charter" and expressed condolences for those killed.

The statement said Putin, in his conversation with Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu "stressed the importance of a return to the process of talks and resolution of all issues concerning Iran's nuclear program strictly through political and diplomatic means".

The Kremlin statement said Russia would remain in close contact with both Iran and Israel.