Argentina's Milei escalates Falklands dispute, seizing on Trump comments and oil tensions

Argentine President Javier Milei is escalating a dispute with Britain over the Falkland Islands. He has announced tougher sanctions targeting companies involved in a major offshore oil project near the islands. The project, known as Sea Lion, is located about 220km north of the Falklands, where British company Rockhopper Exploration and Israel's Navitas Petroleum plan to begin drilling and start pumping oil in 2028.

Milei cited comments from US President Donald Trump, who suggested that the US might reconsider its support for British sovereignty over the islands. According to The Guardian, Trump hinted that the UK "weren't there to help me [with Iran]" when asked if he would "come to the UK's aid" during a potential territorial dispute. Milei said this could be a sign of a "winds of change" favourable to Argentina's claim to the Falklands.

The Argentine leader also announced new funding for a naval base in the country's southernmost province of Tierra del Fuego to bolster its presence in the area. He threatened swifter sanctions against companies involved in the offshore drilling, which Argentina considers an illegal exploitation of its resources. According to Buenos Aires Times, Milei's move comes as his approval rating has fallen to 37 percent, and taking up a nationalistic cause could rally voters around a universally popular issue.

Brief written by urgent.news from NPR, The Guardian, South China Morning Post, Buenos Aires Times, DW English (Top Stories) — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.