TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Argentine President Javier Milei said the US' position on the Falkland Islands could be changing.
He added that his country would impose sanctions on any oil companies operating in the British overseas territory.
In a nationally televised speech on Thursday, Milei reiterated Argentina's stance that the Falkland Islands are part of its territory. This move could further escalate the long-standing dispute with Britain over the islands.
The Argentine leader also praised President Donald Trump's comments regarding the US potentially revisiting its largely neutral position on the Falklands, saying this is a result of his close relationship with Trump.
According to Milei, the US is considering this change in position due to Argentina being a "reliable partner, aligned with Western values" that can be "a valuable ally in the decades to come."
Milei announced several moves aimed at stopping the Sea Lion oil project, which is located about 140 miles from the islands — an area that Argentina considers its own. Two companies, one from the UK and one from Israel, plan to begin drilling in the area in the coming months with the goal of producing oil by 2028.
"Argentina will not stand idly by," Milei said, adding that any further advance on the Islands will be viewed as a "violation of our national security."
The Falklands issue is a point of consensus in an Argentine society divided by political differences in other areas.
Britain 'unwavering' position unchanged
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham's spokesperson said the British government's position was "long-standing and unwavering."
"Sovereignty rests with the UK, and the islanders' right to self-determination is paramount,” he said.
Any change in the US' neutral approach towards the dispute between Britain and Argentina would be a major shift and could contribute to further deterioration in already strained transatlantic relations.
Asked about whether his administration could change its position on the Falkland Islands, Trump said he "always" reviews positions.
"That's just one of many," he added.
In another interview, Trump was asked whether the US would come to help Britain should it be involved in an armed conflict over the islands.
"Your country was not there to help me," he answered, referring to Britain's refusal to take an active part in the joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran.
