G-7 Leaders Warn against Support for Russia

Tokyo, Feb. 25 (Jiji Press)--Leaders from the Group of Seven major democracies Friday warned third countries against providing support to Russia’s war on Ukraine while pledging to intensify diplomatic, financial and military support for Ukraine.

Third countries will “face severe costs” unless they cease providing material support to Russia’s aggression, the G-7 leaders said in a joint statement issued after an online meeting, apparently referring to China.

The G-7 leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening sanctions on Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the meeting that was held on the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who chaired the meeting, said that the G-7 countries are strongly committed to maintaining the rules-based international order by having Russia stop its invasion through sanctions.

Kishida, who hosts a G-7 summit in person in Hiroshima, western Japan, in May, expressed support for Zelenskyy’s sincere efforts to achieve peace.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]