Milei Threatens London with International Arbitration in Falkland Islands Issue

The British company Rockhopper Exploration and the Israeli company Navitas Petroleum, developers of the oil field off the Falkland Islands, ignored the Argentine threats, confirming that they have valid exploration licenses issued by the UK. The project is named 'Sea Lion'.

Milei said in a post on the X platform, 'I have instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our legal teams to initiate arbitration proceedings against the United Kingdom for illegally plundering our resources through the Sea Lion project in the North Falkland Basin.'

The Sea Lion oil field is located about 220 kilometers from the islands.

The Argentine president added, 'If the United Kingdom does not stop the illegal exploitation within two weeks, we will go to the International Court of Justice for the Law of the Sea.'

Milei's government has already initiated legal action against the project, which Britain allowed, considering it violates a UN resolution calling on both parties to refrain from unilateral actions in the islands until the dispute is settled.

Buenos Aires has intensified its claim for sovereignty over the Falkland Islands after U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington is open to reviewing its neutral stance on the conflict between Argentina and Britain.

In contrast, the British government has affirmed its support for companies operating near the Falkland Islands, considering them to have 'the right to develop their natural resources in the manner they see fit'.