G7 vows to heap on sanctions on Russia

There can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities such as Russia’s attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure. We remain committed to intensifying sanctions against Russia, coordinating and fully enforcing them, said G7 in a communique

Karuizawa (Japan): Top diplomats from the Group of Seven (G7) wealthy democracies vowed a unified front against Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, saying at the close of their meetings on Tuesday that they were committed to boosting and enforcing tough sanctions against Moscow. The G-7 communique laying out their commitments also included strong words meant to curb what the ministers see as increasing Chinese and North Korean aggressiveness in Northeast Asia. But it was Russia's invasion against Ukraine that highlighted the three-day summit in this hot spring resort town.

“There can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities such as Russia's attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure,” the ministers said. “We remain committed to intensifying sanctions against Russia, coordinating and fully enforcing them,” the communique said, and would support Ukraine “for as long as it takes.” “Russia's irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and its threat to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus are unacceptable,” the ministers said. The foreign ministers' document was prepared as a template for global leaders to use at a G-7 summit that will be held in Hiroshima next month, and included language about Iran, Myanmar, nuclear proliferation and other “grave issues.” But two crises stood out: China's increasing threats to, and military maneuvers around, Taiwan, the self-governing democracy that Beijing claims as its own, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.