German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks at an interview after the conference of foreign minister of the G7 member states at the Schlossgut Weissenhaus location on May 14, 2022 near Oldenburg in Holstein, Germany.
Morris Macmatzen|Getty Images
Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven industrialized countries promised on Saturday to enhance Russia’s financial and political seclusion, continue providing weapons to Ukraine and fight what Germany’s foreign minister referred to as a “wheat war” being waged by Moscow.
After conference at a 400- year-old castle estate in the Baltic Sea resort of Weissenhaus, senior diplomats from Britain, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the United States and the European Union likewise promised to continue their military and defense support for “as long as necessary.”
They would likewise tackle what they called Russian false information focused on blaming the West for food supply problems all over the world due to financial sanctions on Moscow and advised China to not help Moscow or validate Russia’s war, according to a joint declaration.
“Have we done enough to mitigate the consequences of this war? It is not our war. It’s a war by the president of Russia, but we have global responsibility,” Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock informed press reporters at a closing press conference.
The crucial to putting more pressure on Russia is to prohibit or phase out purchasing Russian oil with EU member specifies anticipated next week to reach a contract on the concern even if it stays at this phase opposed by Hungary.
“We will expedite our efforts to reduce and end reliance on Russian energy supplies and as quickly as possible, building on G-7 commitments to phase out or ban imports of Russian coal and oil,” the declaration stated.
The ministers stated they would include more sanctions on Russian elites, consisting of financial stars, main federal government organizations and the military, which allow President Vladimir Putin “to lead his war of choice.”
The conference in northern Germany, which the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Moldova participated in, likewise highlighted food security issues and worries that the war in Ukraine might overflow into its smaller sized next-door neighbor Moldova.
“People will be dying in Africa and the Middle East and we are faced with an urgent question: how can people be fed around the world? People are asking themselves what will happen if we don’t have the grain we need that we used to get from Russia and Ukraine,” Baerbock stated.
She included that the G-7 would deal with finding logistical services to get essential products out of Ukraine’s storage prior to the next harvests.
Attention now relies on Berlin as ministers fulfill later Saturday with Sweden and Finland preparing to obtain subscription of the transatlantic alliance, drawing risks of retaliation from Moscow and objections from NATO member Turkey.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell shake hands after bilateral talks throughout the G7 Foreign Ministers conference in Wangels, northern Germany, on May 14, 2022.
Marcus Brandt|AFP|Getty Images
“It is important that we have a consensus,” Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly informed press reporters when inquired about Turkey perhaps obstructing their accession.
Putin calls the intrusion a “special military operation” to deactivate Ukraine and rid it of anti-Russian nationalism fomented by theWest Ukraine and its allies state Russia released an unprovoked war.
“More of the same,” EU Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell informed press reporters. “The one thing that is missing is pushing for a diplomatic engagement to get a ceasefire. It is missing because Vladimir Putin has been saying to everybody that he doesn’t want to stop the war.”
