The dispute over oil in the Falklands erupts again as Milei warns Britain of legal action

Argentina has warned that it may turn to international justice mechanisms if the United Kingdom does not halt oil extraction activities in waters near the Falkland Islands.

President Javier Milei has given London two weeks to withdraw from the “Sea Lion” project, which is being developed by British company Rockhopper Exploration in cooperation with Israeli company Navitas Petroleum. If the work continues, the Argentine head of state has said that Buenos Aires will initiate international arbitration proceedings and may also bring the case before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

The Argentine government considers the exploitation of the reserves illegal. The companies involved in the project, meanwhile, defend themselves by arguing that they hold valid licenses issued by the authorities of the Falkland Islands.

According to estimates, the “Sea Lion” reservoir contains approximately 1.7 billion barrels of oil, while extraction operations are expected to begin within two years.

The dispute has once again brought the longstanding sovereignty conflict over the Falklands between Argentina and Britain into the spotlight, more than four decades after the 1982 war.