The G7 leaders, meeting in Germany, announced on Monday 27 June that they were “determined to maintain and intensify international economic and political pressure on President Putin’s regime and those who support him in Belarus”.
In a joint statement, they pledged to take further action “in the coming days and weeks”, in particular on Russia’s revenues, “including gold revenues”, and dependence on Russian energy, as well as targeting evasion and backfilling activities. They also intend to align and expand targeted sanctions to further restrict Russia’s access to key industrial inputs, services and technologies produced by their economies, particularly those that support Russia’s industrial base and weapons technology sector.
“We will continue to coordinate on tariff measures on imports from Russia and explore possible pathways in line with our respective legislation to use the revenues to assist Ukraine, where applicable”, the leaders also warned.
Finally, they will impose targeted sanctions on those responsible for war crimes, those who exercise illegitimate authority in Ukraine and those who support Russia’s involvement in “efforts to increase global food insecurity by stealing and exporting Ukrainian grain or otherwise profit illegitimately from the war”.
The G7 is therefore calling on Russia to “unconditionally” cease its attacks on agricultural and transport infrastructure and to allow free passage of ships carrying agricultural products from Ukrainian Black Sea ports. “We will continue to ensure that, in taking further measures, we are not targeting food and allow for the free flow of agricultural products and make every effort to minimise potential negative impacts and spillovers on third countries, in particular low- and middle-income countries”, they also promised as Russia communicates to third countries that sanctions are responsible for the food crisis.
The leaders also announced that they would continue to provide financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Kyiv and welcomed the European Council’s decision to grant candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova.
Finally, the leaders expressed their readiness to support an international reconstruction plan and welcomed the German Presidency’s initiative to convene an international conference of high-level experts with Ukraine to make progress on a comprehensive reconstruction plan. They supported the work of the EU and its Member States in considering a reconstruction platform and a solidarity fund.
Condemnation of the attack on a shopping centre
In a separate statement, the leaders solemnly condemned the “heinous attack on a shopping centre” in Kremenchuk earlier in the day. “Indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians are a war crime. President Putin of Russia and those responsible will be held accountable”, they forewarned.
The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, also condemned in the strongest possible terms this “new heinous act”, which is said to have left at least 16 people dead and around 50 injured. “The continued bombing of civilians and civilian property is repugnant and totally unacceptable and constitutes a war crime”, he warned, adding that Russia would be held responsible.
See the statement: https://aeur.eu/f/2du
See the annex to the statement on sanctions: https://aeur.eu/f/2dv (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)