After a meeting in Weissenhaus, northern Germany, G7 foreign ministers concluded on Saturday that economic pressure on Russia and arms supplies to Ukraine would continue in the years to come, if necessary.
The ministers promised to reinforce Russia’s economic and political isolation, to continue to supply arms to Ukraine and to address the global food shortage caused by the war in Ukraine. After meeting at the 400-year-old castle on the Baltic Sea, diplomats from Germany, the United States, Great Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and the EU have assured that military and defense assistance to Ukraine would continue for as long as needed.
The ministers also vowed to tackle Russian disinformation aimed at legitimizing aggression against Ukraine and blaming the West for the world’s food supply problems instead of economic sanctions against Russia. In the final statement, the group also called on China not to help Moscow and not to justify the Russian war. The G7 called on Beijing to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence.
According to the statement, the banning or phasing out of the purchase of Russian oil by EU member states is crucial to intensify the pressure on Russia. The Russian oil embargo includes a proposed new EU anti-Russia sanctions package.
“We will accelerate our efforts to reduce and end our dependence on Russian energy supplies and, as soon as possible, based on G7 commitments, we will phase out or ban the import of coal and oil Russians,” the statement said.
Seven warned that the war in Ukraine is creating a global food and energy crisis that threatens poor countries and that urgent action is needed to release grain stocks, which Russia is preventing from exporting from Ukraine. G7 officials have called on Russia to immediately cease attacks on key transport infrastructure in Ukraine, including ports, and to allow Ukraine to export products.
“Russia’s war of aggression has triggered one of the worst food and energy crises in recent history and now threatens the world’s most vulnerable,” the group said in a final statement. “We are committed to accelerating a coordinated multilateral response that safeguards global food security and to supporting our most vulnerable partners in this regard,” the statement said.
The G7 also expressed concern, among other things, about recent attempts to destabilize Transnistria and underlined its support for Moldova.
Source: Echo24
