Ukraine: Nicola Sturgeon urges oil firms to divest from Russia

Sturgeon says oil and gas companies shouldn’t do business in Russia

Nicola Sturgeon has urged oil and gas companies to remove investments in Russia over the crisis in Ukraine.

The first minister is meeting with firms from the sector in Aberdeen, and said all must do their part to "put the maximum possible pressure" on Russia.

BP and Shell have both announced they are cutting ties with Russian firms and dropping investments in the country.

Ms Sturgeon said the world must stand united against the "unjustified and illegal" invasion of Ukraine.

She also called for the UK government to scrap visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens fleeing conflict, and to "sort the paperwork later".

Home Secretary Priti Patel later told MPs that the "immediate" family members of Ukrainians in the UK could enter the country for 12 months, saying 100,000 could qualify.

BP, which had held shares in Russian state-owned firm Rosneft since 2013, announced it was to offload its 19.75% stake due to Russia's "act of aggression in Ukraine", with chief executive Bernard Looney resigning from the company's board.

And Shell said on Monday that it was to exit its joint ventures with another Russian company, Gazprom, along with its involvement in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

Ms Sturgeon welcomed the moves, and said she would be urging others to follow suit.

At lunchtime on Monday, she said: "I will be meeting companies from the oil and gas sector today, and I'll be saying directly to them that any with interests in Russia should be looking to divest.

"The people of Ukraine, led by their president, are bravely resisting and we owe them our support, but that united front has to be solid and we all have a part to play in that.

"People right now, in the face of what is happening, who have interests in Russia, should be looking to support the international community and sanctions that are being imposed by putting the maximum possible pressure on President Putin and his regime."

People rallied in support of Ukraine in Dundee's Caird Square on Monday

Asked if this could have an impact on petrol and energy prices at home, Ms Sturgeon said the cost of not standing firm against "Putin's aggression" would be worse.

She said: "Sanctions being imposed in Russia regrettably will have impacts on the countries and the people of the countries imposing the sanctions, but we cannot stand by and allow Russia to obliterate the freedom of one of its neighbours - if we do that frankly the consequences for all of us are unthinkable."

Meanwhile there have been calls for the firm which manages the pension fund for MSPs to divest from Russia, after reports that it has holdings in a bank sanctioned by the US.

MSP Pauline McNeill, who chairs the trustees of the pension fund, wrote to manager Baillie Gifford to request that money be taken out of all Russian investments "as a matter of urgency".

She said: "The appalling events in Ukraine make it incumbent upon all of us to stand against aggression and unlawful military action in any way we can. Exerting economic pressure upon Russian financial institutions by divesting our pension holdings is an important step."

Refugee visas

Ms Sturgeon also called on the UK government to open the door for anyone seeking refuge from the conflict in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said earlier that "we want to be as generous as we possibly can", and that the UK would be "partnering up with some of the countries in the immediate vicinity of Ukraine to help bring people over".

Ms Patel said a "new humanitarian route" would be available for those fleeing the conflict, although details are still to be announced.

The Scottish government previously said it stood ready to offer "refuge and sanctuary" for Ukrainians fleeing from the Russian invasion if a resettlement programme to bring Ukraine nationals to the UK was launched.

Scotland's councils have also said they would "open our arms" to those in need.

Chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) Sabir Zazai echoed the first minister's comments, saying: "The Home Office must act now."

Mr Zazai said the SRC was prepared to work with the Scottish government, the Home Office, Migration Scotland and others "to reach a hand of friendship to those fleeing Ukraine".

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Anti-war protesters marched through the centre of Edinburgh on Sunday afternoon

Downing Street said that allowing immediate family members of Ukrainians already settled in the UK would "benefit many thousands of people who at this moment are making desperate choices about their future".

Asylum is reserved to the UK parliament and the Home Office has said its immediate priority was British nationals and their families caught up in the Ukrainian conflict.

But it said it would work with international partners on issues including migration as the situation developed.

Ms Sturgeon's comments come as thousands of people took to the streets of Scotland to condemn the invasion.

Campaigners across the country have shown their support for the citizens of Ukraine with crowds gathering in Glasgow's George Square and at Holyrood in Edinburgh at the weekend, with further rallies held on Monday.

There has been cross-party condemnation of the Russian military action at Holyrood and demonstrations have been held outside the Russian Consulate in Edinburgh.

The Scottish government announced £4m of humanitarian aid for Ukraine on Monday, alongside a further £40m pledged by the UK government.

This will help provide shelter and water for refugees displaced by the fighting, as well as medical supplies. Officials are working with aid agencies to identify what else is needed and the best routes to get help into Ukraine.

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