G7 leaders aim to strengthen coordinated sanctions against Russia and step up support for Ukraine
In a joint statement issued on Friday, February 24, G7 leaders pledged to step up "diplomatic, financial and military support for Ukraine" as well as "increase the costs for Russia and those who support its war effort", reports caleeuropeana.ro.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy joined the meeting via teleconference, the first chaired by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, whose country holds the G7 presidency this year, and which marked one year since Russia launched its brutal invasion of Ukraine. Japan is to host a summit of G7 leaders in May.
G7 members reaffirmed their "unwavering support" for Kiev during their virtual meeting, the joint statement said, amid growing concerns that Moscow could launch a full-scale offensive in Ukraine in the spring.
"We condemn Russia's illegal, unjustifiable and unprovoked war," the G7 statement said, adding: "We pledge to step up our diplomatic, financial and military support for Ukraine" and to "increase the costs for Russia."
During the virtual meeting, Zelenskiy thanked the G7 leaders for their support since the beginning of the invasion on February 24 last year. "Together with you, we can make this year, 2023, the year of the end of Russian aggression, the year of the return to peace, the year of the liberation of our country and our people from Russian captivity," the Ukrainian president said. As for Japan, Fumio Kishida promised that Tokyo would provide additional financial assistance worth $5.5 billion for the reconstruction of Ukrainian infrastructure destroyed by Russia.
The G7 leaders held the online meeting amid growing concerns that Japan's neighbor China could supply Russia with weapons after Beijing and Moscow deepened their defense cooperation by holding joint military exercises.
