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The UK has agreed a new contract with Cyprus to deal with the serious organized crime and illicit Russian financesin what the prime minister said was an attempt to “starve Putin’s war machine and protect global stability”.
The two nations have agreed to set up a new National Sanctions Enforcement Unit to stop the flow of dirty money through Europe, agreeing to work more closely together to tackle serious organized crime.
A partnership, arranged by Mr Keir Starmer and Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday morning, will further strengthen intelligence and security ties between the two countries, the government said.
The new unit will include new analytical tools and powers to investigate sanctions evasion and track funds being moved across Europe, Downing Street said, as well as sharing expertise and intelligence to disrupt and intercept the flow of illicit finance through Europe to ensure effectiveness sanction on Putin’s war machine.
It comes as the two countries deepen cooperation in the fight against serious organized crime, with the UK next year introducing financial crime training packages for law enforcement teams in Cyprus, delivered by the UK’s National Crime Agency.
The training packages will help stem the flow of illegal tobacco products being smuggled into the UK and will support the government’s safer streets mission, Downing Street said.
Sir Keir said the crackdown would “starve Putin’s war machine and protect global stability”.
“This government is delivering on our Plan for Change, which is built on solid foundations, including our national security. Only by cooperating with like-minded partners can we protect our interests both in the country and abroad,” said the Prime Minister.
“Together with the Republic of Cyprus, we are stemming the flow of illicit finance through Europe to starve Putin’s war machine and protect global stability.”
The Prime Minister’s visit to the Commonwealth country on Tuesday morning is the first bilateral visit to the Republic of Cyprus in more than 50 years, with the last Prime Minister to visit one-on-one being Edward Heath in 1971.
However, Sir Keir’s decision not to meet with President Ersin Tatar in the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) during the historic visit caused concern, and the prime minister accused of “failed diplomacy”.