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G7 leaders have adopted a joint statement committing to increased deliveries of weapons, including air defence systems and long-range capabilities, while signalling the “right moment” has come to tighten the screws on Russia’s energy sector.
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The leaders of the G7 countries have been gathering in Évian-les-Bains, France, for the past two days. On Tuesday night, they endorsed a statement expressing “unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”
The statement praises Ukraine for the new momentum it has built on the battlefield, and commits to sustaining that momentum through increased deliveries of air defence capabilities, additional systems and interceptors, and long-range capabilities.
Europe is Ukraine’s main support, with recent estimates allocating around €200 billion in overall military and financial support since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, with an additional €90 billion loan that will start flowing this month. The US accounts for roughly €115 billion in overall support.
At the same time, the G7 leaders say they are “ready to consider” expanding licensing for military production to Kyiv, which is in dire need of US-made anti-ballistic missile Patriot systems.
“We commit to increase the pressure on the Russian war economy. In this context, we will strengthen our sanctions, including those on the oil and gas sectors,” the statement reads.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said Washington would soon be in a position to reimpose sanctions on Russian energy exports that had been temporarily waived, as a newly reached framework agreement between the US and Iran is expected to reopen the flow of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and ease the global energy crunch.
The EU has already passed 21 sanction packages against Russia, the most recent one earlier this month targeting Moscow’s oil sales and so-called “shadow fleet,” among other things.
The G7 statement also stresses the importance of energy resilience and pledges support to help Ukraine get through next winter, when Russia typically targets the country’s energy infrastructure amid freezing temperatures.
