Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers pledged on Saturday to reinforce Russia’s economic and political isolation, continue to send weapons to Ukraine and attack what Germany’s foreign minister described as a “wheat war” that is raging. being fought by Moscow.
After meeting in a 400-year-old castle in the Baltic Sea resort of Weissenhaus, senior diplomats from the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the United States and the European Union also pledged to maintain their military and defense assistance “for as long as time is needed”.
They will also attack what they called Russian disinformation aimed at blaming the West for food supply problems around the world due to economic sanctions on Moscow and urged China not to help Moscow or justify Russia’s war, according to the statement. set.
“Have we done enough to mitigate the consequences of this war? It’s not our war. It’s Russia’s president’s war, but we have global responsibility,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told reporters at a closing press conference. of the encounter.
The key to increasing pressure on Russia is to ban or gradually decrease the purchase of Russian oil. EU member states are expected to reach an agreement on the matter next week, even if there is currently opposition from Hungary.
“We will accelerate our efforts to reduce and end dependence on Russian energy supplies and as soon as possible work on top of G7 commitments to gradually decrease or ban Russian coal and oil imports,” the statement said.
The ministers said they would add more sanctions against the Russian elite, including economic figures, central government institutions and the army, which allow President Vladimir Putin to “lead the war he has chosen”.
The meeting in northern Germany, which was attended by the Ukrainian and Moldovan foreign ministers, also highlighted food security concerns and fears that the war in Ukraine could spill over into smaller neighboring Moldova.
“People will die in Africa and the Middle East and we have an urgent question ahead of us: how many people can be fed around the world. People are wondering what will happen if we don’t have the grain we need and we used to buy from Russia and Ukraine.” “Baerbock said.
