The G7 countries assured Thursday that they would “spare no effort” to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin “to account” for the invasion of Ukraine, warning that they would not hesitate to adopt new penalties.
• Read also: Ukraine: a new rhythm of life in Lviv after a month of war
• Read also: NATO to protect its forces and equip Ukraine against chemical and nuclear threats
“We will spare no effort to hold President Putin and the architects and supporters of this aggression, including the Lukashenko regime in Belarus, to account,” the countries said in a joint statement.
“To this end, we will continue to work together, with our allies and partners around the world,” added the G7 countries (United States, France, Great Britain, Canada, Japan, Germany and Italy).
“The Russian population must know that we have no complaints against them,” they however assured after a meeting held in Brussels.
“It is President Putin, his government and his supporters, including the Lukashenko regime in Belarus who are imposing this war and its consequences on the Russians,” the G7 countries said.
“It is their decision that tarnishes the history of the Russian people,” they said.
The seven major powers also expressed concern about a rise in “repression against the Russian people” and deplored the efforts undertaken by the Kremlin “to deprive Russian citizens of access to unbiased information via censorship “.
Determined to apply “fully” the unprecedented sanctions already announced against Russia, the G7 also said it was ready to take “further measures if necessary”.
“We warn against any threat of the use of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons or related material”, he added, recalling “Russia’s obligations under international treaties to which it is a signatory and which protect us all”.
A series of international summits devoted to the war in Ukraine, including a G7 summit and a European Union summit, are being held in Brussels on Thursday in the presence of US President Joe Biden.
Washington announced on this occasion new financial sanctions against Russia, targeting the political world, oligarchs and the defense industry, and reinforced coordination with its Western allies to prevent Russia from using its gold reserves.