Milei gives UK two-week ultimatum over Falklands oil project

Argentine President Javier Milei announced on Monday that he had instructed the Foreign Ministry and legal teams to open arbitration proceedings against the United Kingdom over the Sea Lion oil project in the North Falkland Basin, escalating Buenos Aires’ claim to the islands.

“If within two weeks the United Kingdom does not stop the illegitimate exploitation, we will go to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea,” Milei said in a post on X. His office said Argentina would ask the Hamburg-based court to order a halt unless work stops.

The Sea Lion field is being developed by Israel’s Navitas Petroleum and the UK’s Rockhopper Exploration, about 220 kilometres (137 miles) from the islands. Both companies insist they hold valid exploration licences issued by the UK.

The British government says it stands behind businesses operating near the Falklands and has the “right to develop their natural resources as they see fit”.

The move follows Donald Trump’s signal that Washington was open to reviewing its historically neutral stance on the territory. Britain and Argentina fought a 10-week war over the islands in 1982, in which 255 British troops and 649 Argentines were killed.

Sources

• Associated Press, “Argentina’s President Milei threatens international legal action over Falklands oilfield”: https://www.ottumwacourier.com/news/national_news/argentina-s-president-milei-threatens-international-legal-action-over-falklands-oilfield/article_4bdf2e03-a313-516e-800b-ab4b2057c457.html
• AFP via Malay Mail, “Argentina’s Milei threatens UK with arbitration over Falklands oil project”: https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2026/09/29/argentinas-milei-threatens-uk-with-arbitration-over-falklands-oil-project/236942