After the latest Russian attacks on civilians in Ukraine, the G7 countries meet for a video conference. The alliance of states promises further help. President Zelenskyj urges support in building a protective shield against further attacks.
The Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyj has called on the G7 countries to support Ukraine in building an air defense system against Russian attacks. Zelenskyj addressed the heads of state and government of the G7 countries in a video conference and called on them to step up their efforts and “help financially to build a protective shield for Ukraine”. “Millions of people will be grateful to the G7 for such help,” said the Ukrainian President.
Russia bombed Ukrainian cities across the country on Monday, primarily targeting the energy supply infrastructure. The G7 heads of state and government therefore came together for special consultations at a video conference. They pledged their full support to Ukraine. The heads of state and government of the G7 countries promised Zelenskyy in the video conference to provide Ukraine with financial, humanitarian, military, diplomatic and legal aid “for as long as necessary”.
The G7 countries condemned these attacks in the strongest possible terms in a joint statement. Indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians are “a war crime”. “We will hold President Putin and those responsible to account,” they said. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden and the leaders of France, Britain, Italy, Japan and Canada also condemned Russia’s “illegal attempt to annex” Ukraine’s regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson. The G7 states would “never recognize” this. They again criticized Russia’s actions at Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and “the pressure being exerted on the plant’s personnel.”
Zelenskyj further said that the Russian head of state Vladimir Putin could escalate the situation even further. “The Russian leader, who has reached the end of his reign, still has opportunities for further escalation,” Zelenskyy warned. This is “a danger for all of us”. The G7 countries also criticized further “escalation steps” by Russia such as the partial mobilization of reservists for the Ukraine war and the “irresponsible nuclear rhetoric that endangers world peace and security”. “We reaffirm that any use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons by Russia would have serious consequences,” the G7 warned.
The Ukrainian President accused the Russian leadership of trying to turn its ally Belarus into a war party. “Russia is trying to drag Belarus directly into this war,” said Zelenskyy. To provoke this, Moscow claims that Ukraine is planning an attack on its northern neighbor. The G7 warned Russia’s allies Belarus against using its “complicity” to provide military support to the Russian war of aggression.
Zelenskyj called on the G7 states to set up an international observer mission for the border area between Ukraine and Belarus. This should “monitor the security situation” there. The day before, Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko had accused Ukraine of intending to attack, thereby justifying the establishment of a joint Belarusian-Russian troop contingent. Lukashenko did not say where this contingent should be stationed.
