British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday sharply criticized President Trump and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, holding them responsible for rising and unstable energy costs impacting households across the United Kingdom, and said he has grown increasingly frustrated with how global conflicts are driving oil prices.

“I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy businesses bills go up and down on energy because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world,” Starmer told ITV News on Thursday.

Starmer has repeatedly taken aim at Trump in recent weeks, arguing that the ongoing war with Iran has contributed to global instability and driven up costs for ordinary families, even as critics point out that his own government has taken limited direct action to ease the burden.

During the interview, Starmer reiterated that Britain would not be drawn into the conflict, stressing that UK military infrastructure would not be used for broader offensive operations, particularly those targeting civilians.

“From the get-go, we’ve been monitoring this situation. So I’m pretty clear in my own mind about what we’ve agreed and what the use of the bases are,” he said. “I’ve been saying we are not going to be dragged into this war because I say there must be a lawful basis.”

“That matters if you’re going to commit our service personnel to risk their lives,” he added.

His comments come as King Charles III prepares for an upcoming state visit to the United States later this month, a trip that Trump has welcomed but that is viewed in Britain as placing the monarch in a delicate position amid the growing tensions between the two leaders.

Starmer, who is currently traveling in the Middle East, had already angered Trump earlier this year when he rejected a US request to use a British military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for operations related to the conflict with Iran.

Aside from calling for “de-escalation” and encouraging diplomatic engagement, critics say Starmer has not taken significant steps to reduce tensions, instead focusing on coordination with allies and strengthening long-term economic and security resilience.

His administration has prioritized closer cooperation with European partners and efforts to protect key shipping routes, rather than direct military involvement.

Starmer was not alone among British officials in expressing frustration. Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper also criticized Iran’s proposal to impose fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

“Countries cannot simply hijack those kinds of international transit routes and unilaterally apply tolls,” she told the BBC. “They cannot do that as part of the laws of the sea and the United Nations arrangements.”

Trump has voiced support for the idea and has even suggested that the United States could take a share of the revenue generated from such tolls.

Before the conflict with Iran escalated, ships were able to pass through the strategically vital strait — a key route for oil and goods moving between the Middle East and Europe — without charge.

Iran has since proposed a fee of $1 per barrel of oil transported through the waterway, a move that could significantly increase costs given that large tankers often carry more than a million barrels per shipment.

Britain is currently leading a coalition of roughly 40 countries working on both military and diplomatic strategies to secure and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though progress has so far been limited.

Cooper emphasized the broader importance of maintaining open maritime routes, telling the BBC that the freedom of navigation is a “principle that applies right across the globe, and it’s crucial for the cost of living back here at home. It’s crucial for the global economy.”