The G7 foreign ministers and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, promised on the evening of Friday 30 September to impose new sanctions on Russia following the announcement that the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia would be incorporated into Russia.
Stressing that “President Putin’s efforts” to incorporate these regions into Russian territory were “a new low point in Russia’s blatant flouting of international law and yet another example of Russia’s unacceptable violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty”, the ministers and the High Representative warned in their joint statement that they would “never recognise these purported annexations, nor the sham ‘referenda’ conducted at gunpoint”.
In retaliation, the G7 announced that it would impose “further” economic costs on Russia, as well as on individuals and entities - inside and outside Russia - that provide political or economic support to these violations of international law.
The ministers also reiterated their condemnation of Russia’s “irresponsible” nuclear rhetoric. “It will not distract or dissuade us from supporting Ukraine, for as long as necessary”, they warned.
In addition, discussions between EU Member States on new sanctions against Russia will continue on Tuesday 4 October at ambassadorial level. Although discussions seem to have progressed well, as of Monday 3 October an agreement has not yet been reached.
It should be noted that the EU and several Member States have summoned Russian diplomats in a coordinated action to condemn Russia’s illegal annexation of the four regions of Ukraine. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)