Invited to the G7 summit on Monday in Germany, the Ukrainian president urged his leaders to redouble their efforts to put a rapid end to the war which is ravaging his country and to further toughen their sanctions against Moscow.
The leaders of the seven industrialized countries, who have ostensibly displayed their unity with Moscow since the start of their exchanges on Sunday in the Bavarian Alps, responded to him with clear support: the G7 will continue to support Ukraine “as long as it will have to,” according to their joint statement.
At the same time, these Heads of State and Government will continue “to increase the pressure on Putin”, promised Chancellor Olaf Scholz, host of this summit at Elmau Castle in southern Germany, notably through a new round of sanctions targeting the Russian economy.
Volodymyr Zelensky “had a very strong message saying that we had to do the maximum to try to end this war before the end of the year”, underlined sources within the G7 at the end of the intervention by videoconference from kyiv of the Ukrainian leader.
No negotiation
However, he ruled out any current negotiations with the Russians, warning, according to the French presidency, that “today is not the time for negotiations”.
To support their support, the West, led by the United States, wants to tighten the noose on Moscow by targeting the Russian defense industry in particular, according to a senior White House official.
They also intend to develop a “mechanism to cap the price of Russian oil at the global level”, according to this senior official.
The G7 will also “coordinate to use customs duties on Russian products to help Ukraine,” the same source continued.
On the first day of their exchanges on Sunday, some of the seven industrialized countries (Germany, France, United States, Canada, Japan, Italy, Great Britain) had already announced an embargo on newly mined gold in Russia.
Despite the heavy sanctions that have hit the Russian economy since the start of the offensive on Ukraine on February 24, the Kremlin assured Monday that there was “no reason” to mention a default in payment of Russia, as claimed by some media.
The Russian authorities, however, announced that because of the sanctions, two installments had not reached creditors by the deadline on Sunday.
While kyiv continues to demand more arms deliveries, the United States is now considering supplying it with a sophisticated surface-to-air missile system of “medium and long range”.
On the ground, Russian bombardments on the large city of Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, and its region left two dead and five injured on Monday, regional governor Oleg Sinegoubov said on Telegram.
On Sunday, for the first time in weeks, kyiv was hit by Russian missiles as fierce fighting continued in the east of the country, in this deadly conflict that entered its fifth month.
For Olaf Scholz, these bombings came as a reminder once again “that it was right to be united and to support Ukraine”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hoped that “one way or another, NATO and the G7 will split. But we have not done it and we will not do it, ”also assured US President Joe Biden.
Threat of food crisis
Whether during their exchanges or during casual group photo sessions, Westerners took care to display their unity during this summit largely devoted to the war in Ukraine and its repercussions.
Among the most urgent, the food crisis which threatens part of the planet while thousands of tons of cereals sleep in Ukrainian silos due to the blockade or occupation of the Black Sea ports by the Russians.
Westerners have demanded that Russia allow “the free passage of agricultural goods from Ukrainian Black Sea ports”.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was also due to call for “urgent action” to revive Ukraine’s vital grain exports as poorer countries teeter on the brink, Downing Street has reported.
This serious threat which hovers over a number of emerging countries is also at the heart of the discussions which the Heads of State and Government began on Monday with the leaders of the five countries invited to Bavaria this year (India, Argentina, Senegal, Indonesia and Africa from South).
India, Senegal and South Africa abstained in voting on a UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Indonesian Head of State and G20 President Joko Widodo is also due to visit Ukraine and Russia soon to discuss the economic and humanitarian consequences of the Russian invasion.
Emerging economies are particularly exposed to the risk of food shortages and the climate crisis, another emergency that the seven leaders must discuss with their guests.
In a context of shortage of Russian gas, environmental NGOs fear that the G7 will back down on its commitments to end international financing of fossil fuels.