Argentina announces sanctions on Falkland Islands oil drilling project

Argentine President Javier Milei announced sanctions against oil companies operating near the Falkland Islands on September 4, 2026. The sanctions target the Sea Lion offshore oil project, run by Navitas Petroleum and Rockhopper Exploration. They will also affect the companies' shareholders, directors, and suppliers. Milei said the project breaks a UN call for neither side to act alone in the territory. He added that drilling could start within months, so Argentina needed to act quickly. Milei also said that shifts in US policy under President Trump now favour Argentina's position. Argentina has claimed the islands, which it calls the Malvinas, for decades. Britain currently controls the territory. Argentina says it will continue to press its claim through diplomatic and legal channels.