Putin’s actions in Ukraine bring shame on Russia, says G7 | Russia

Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has brought shame on Russia and the sacrifices its people made to defeat Nazi Germany in the second world war, leaders of the G7 group of leading western economies have saidA statement was made to mark the 77th year of the end the global conflict.

The statement, made on Sunday after a video conference between the G7 leaders and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, was intended as a rallying call by liberal democracies in advance of Russia’s 9 May Victory Day parade in Moscow.

G7 Statement said: “Through its invasion of and actions in Ukraine since 2014, Russia has violated the international rules-based order, particularly the UN charter, conceived after the second world war to spare successive generations from the scourge of war.

“President Putin and his regime now chose to invade Ukraine in an unprovoked war of aggression against a sovereign country. His actions bring shame on Russia and the historic sacrifices of its people.”

The leaders also accused him of “an attack on feeding the world” if he did not comply with international law and end the blockade on Ukrainian food exports.

G7 said it had collectively provided Ukraine with $24bn (£19.5) for financial and material support since the war started.

Separately, Olaf Scholz (German chancellor) addressed the German people in a televised speech. He vowed that Germany would not be paralysed or allow Russia to dictate terms of any peace agreement in Ukraine.

In the joint statement, the G7 leaders said they would collectively end their dependence on Russian energy “in a timely and orderly way”, but no precise timetable was set, reflecting the continued divisions in Europe about the speed with which such a phaseout can be achieved.

G7 statement provides clarity on war goals said: “Ukraine’s ultimate aim is to ensure full withdrawal of Russia’s military forces and equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine and to secure its ability to protect itself in the future.”

Downing Street said that in his contribution to the G7 discussion, Boris Johnson urged his counterparts to supply the Ukrainians with “military equipment that allowed them to not just hold ground in Ukraine, but recapture it”.

Johnson “agreed with G7 leaders that the world must intensify economic pressure on Putin in any way possible, and said the west must not allow the war to turn into a stalemate that only magnified suffering”, a Downing Street spokesperson said.

Johnson also urged his G7 partners to “intensify their diplomatic lobbying of counterparts failing to apply pressure on President Putin’s war machine”, No 10 said.

On Sunday, diplomats continued to meet in Brussels to discuss a plan for the EU to phase out Russian energy. However, it was described as difficult. Although Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Slovakia have been allowed to continue importing Russian crude oil until 2024, they are also seeking assistance in securing alternative sources and retooling existing refineries.

Budapest is seeking a five year period to stop using Russian oil.

Jill Biden (the US first lady) made the diplomatic detour from her trip in Slovakia and Romania to visit refugees. In Ukraine, she also met Olena Zelenska, her Ukrainian counterpart.

Justin Trudeau was busy with VIP visits to Ukraine. He visited Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv that was the scene of many of the first Russian attacks. The president of the German Bundestag, Bärbel Bas, and the Croatian prime minister, Andrej Plenković, met Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Sunday.

The Edge and Bono of U2 performed in the Kyiv metro alongside a Ukrainian soldier at Zelenskiy’s invitation.

Bas is the most powerful German politician to visit the capital. She participated in commemorative events to mark the second world-war end. They also discussed the contentious issue of German arms exports into Ukraine. According to reports, Annalea Baerbock (German foreign minister), will soon travel to Ukraine.

Irpin’s mayor, Oleksandr Markushyn, posted pictures on an official social media channel with Trudeau, writing that the Canadian prime minister “came to Irpin to see with his own eyes all the horror that the Russian occupiers had done to our city”.

Markushyn said Trudeau “saw – not military facilities – but burned and completely destroyed homes of Irpin residents, who until recently enjoyed life and had their own plans for the future”.

Monday’s trip to Berlin will see Emmanuel Macron (the French president) meet with Scholz to discuss the matter and deliver a major address.