The leaders of the so-called G7 countries have delivered an unequivocal message to Russian President Vladimir Putin: Our commitment to helping Ukraine defend itself against your invasion will not falter.
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This morning, the leaders of the so-called G7 countries delivered an unequivocal message to Russian President Vladimir Putin: Our commitment to helping Ukraine defend itself against your invasion will not falter, and we will continue to make you pay for your war of aggression.
Saying that they “stand together against Russia’s illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine,” the leaders of the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, France, and Italy made it very clear that they would continue to supply Ukraine with everything it needs to endure.
“We are renewing our commitment to provide the financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support Ukraine requires for as long as it takes,” the G7 leaders said in a joint statement.
More than that, at their annual summit, which is being held in Hiroshima, Japan, this weekend, they also stated that they would ensure that Russia would pay a heavy price for this war.
“We will starve Russia of G7 technology, industrial equipment and services that support its war machine,” the leaders stated. The G7 represents seven of the world’s top nine economies based on gross domestic product. The remaining two, China and India, have continued to do business with Russia and even deepened their economic ties.
In their joint statement, the G7 leaders also sent a message for these countries and others who help Russia.
“We reiterate our call on third parties to immediately cease providing material support to Russia’s aggression, or face severe costs,” the joint statement says. “We will reinforce our coordination to prevent and respond to third parties supplying weapons to Russia and continue to take actions against third-country actors who materially support Russia’s war.”
The G7 leaders also laid out specific measures they would take to further squeeze Russia and the oligarchs who support Putin.
These include reducing exports of industrial machinery, tools, and other equipment to Russia; better enforcing existing sanctions; and further curtailing Russia’s use of the international financial system.
In addition, the G7 countries note that they have “dramatically reduced our reliance on Russian energy and commodities,” adding that they are “determined to continue on this path so that Russia is no longer able to weaponize energy against us.”
The statement also makes it clear that, even after the conclusion of the conflict, there will be “no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities, such as Russia’s attacks against civilians and critical civil infrastructure.”
Along the same lines, the statement warns Russia against taking steps of nuclear aggression.
“Russia’s irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, undermining of arms control regimes, and stated intent to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus are dangerous and unacceptable,” the leaders said, adding that they were also gravely concerned about “Russia’s grossly irresponsible seizure and militarization of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).”
All of this will be welcome news for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is expected to attend the summit in person on Sunday.
