G7 condemns Russia’s “escalation” and pledges new sanctions

The G7 foreign ministers denounced Moscow’s “escalation” of the conflict in Ukraine, and promised to impose “new sanctions”, following the announcement of partial mobilization in Russia, in a press release published overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.

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The ministers denounced the “deliberate Russian escalation, including the partial mobilization of reservists and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric”, after a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

The ministers of Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, as well as the head of diplomacy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, also condemned the “mock referendums on the sovereign territory of Ukraine”, announced by the pro-Russian authorities in the occupied Donbass region.

They added that voting “cannot be free or fair” while Russian forces are present.

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According to the statement, the G7 should “take new targeted sanctions” and “will continue the ongoing economic and political pressure on Russia.” “We will study and adopt new restrictive measures, both personal and sectoral,” said Mr. Borrell.

The ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to “finish preparations” for a ceiling on Russian oil prices.

They eventually called on Russia to “return control” to Ukraine of the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia, which in recent weeks has been subjected to explosions, of which Moscow and Kiev accuse each other.