The G7 are considering a near-total ban on exports to Russia, Kyodo news agency reported yesterday, citing Japanese government sources.
Bloomberg a day earlier also reported that the US and Ukraine’s allies were considering “an outright ban on most exports to Russia.”
That report said officials from G7 nations were discussing the idea before a summit meeting in Japan next month.
Photo: AFP
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the government was aware of it, but refrained from commenting on exchanges among G7 countries and like-minded nations about possible further sanctions against Russia.
“What is important for ending Russian aggression as soon as possible is that G7 remains united for severe sanctions against Russia and strong support for Ukraine,” he told a news briefing.
Separately, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that all members of the alliance agreed that Ukraine would eventually become a member, but the main focus is to ensure the country prevails against the Russian invasion.
Stoltenberg made the remark at a meeting of Ukraine’s allies at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
International backing for Ukraine holds “strong and true,” US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in his opening remarks at the meeting.
On the eve of the talks gathering representatives from 50 countries, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged Western allies to send more fighter jets and long-range missiles to help repel Russian troops.
“Our support for the forces of freedom in Ukraine holds strong and true,” Austin said, as he began the discussions, a year after the format of talks between defense leaders began to coordinate aid for Ukraine.
“At today’s contact group meeting, we’ll focus on three key issues — air defense, ammunition and enablers,” Austin said.
Stoltenberg acknowledged the need to discuss “new platforms” of support with the battle now in its second year.
However, he also underlined the need to ensure that already supplied weapons continued to work.
“This is now a battle of attrition, and a battle of attrition becomes a war of logistics,” Stoltenberg said. “Maybe it’s also a bit more boring, but the logistics is extremely important.”
Additional reporting by AFP
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