G7 call on Russia to negotiate in Ukraine crisis

According to Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), the G7 are calling for a return to the negotiating table in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Despite the tense situation, everything must be done to resume the dialogue, said Baerbock on Saturday at the meeting of the G7 foreign ministers in Liverpool. The corresponding forums such as the so-called Normandy format between Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany exist, said Baerbock and emphasized: “The invitation has been on the table for weeks, for months.” Another channel for discussion is NATO-Russia -Advice.

The aim must be to de-escalate the Russian-Ukrainian border. The G7 states are also in agreement that “there can be no border shift in Europe,” said Baerbock. “It is a clear common position of all G7 states that exceeding this limit would have enormous political and economic consequences.” In addition to Germany, the group of seven leading industrialized countries includes the USA, Canada, Great Britain, France, Italy and Japan.

At their last personal meeting before Germany took over the G7 presidency, the foreign ministers of the seven industrialized nations want to send out a signal against “aggressors against freedom”. “This weekend the most influential democracies in the world will take a stand against aggressors who want to undermine freedom,” said the British hostess Liz Truss. A “clear message” should be sent out that “we are a unified front”.

Other topics besides Ukraine include dealing with China, Iran’s nuclear aspirations and the crisis in Myanmar, which is led by the military junta. At the start of the meeting, British Foreign Secretary Truss emphasized that she wanted the G7 countries to deepen their relations in the areas of trade, investment, technology and security “in order to defend and promote freedom and democracy worldwide”.

Truss had already met with Baerbock and her US colleague Antony Blinken on Friday evening, who then both met bilaterally. Blinken’s spokesman, Ned Price, said after talking to Baerbock that the two had talked about “support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression” and agreed that “a strong reaction would be required in the event of an escalation by Moscow” may be.

In Liverpool, however, Baerbock also wants to campaign for a resolute commitment by the group in the fight against global warming. “We can give ourselves the illusion that the west is an island, but even on this the water will continue to rise inexorably if we don’t act now,” she explained.

The G7 foreign ministers would have to “talk about the climate crisis and what impact it has in the area of ​​peace and security – for the emerging and developing countries particularly affected, but also directly for us in Europe,” emphasized Baerbock. Dealing with the climate crisis together will also be one of the priorities of the German G7 presidency in the coming year.

The distribution of vaccines is also an issue

The question of a political boycott of the Winter Olympics in China from February 4th to 20th should also play a role in Liverpool. This is not about a sporting boycott, but about the diplomatic level – i.e. the question of whether high-ranking politicians arrive as visitors. The authoritarian-ruled country is accused of human rights violations, especially against minorities such as the Muslim Uyghurs.

In addition to the foreign ministers of the G7, the development ministers also take part in the meeting in Liverpool. Germany will be represented by the new Federal Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) and State Secretary for Development Jochen Flasbarth. Schulze said that the focus of the talks was on topics such as the global distribution of corona vaccines, development finance and gender equality. The G7 have “as the richest countries on earth a special responsibility”.

On Sunday, ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Countries (Asean) will also be there for the first time in Liverpool. In addition, representatives from South Korea, Australia, South Africa and India take part as “guests”. From the English city, Baerbock will travel directly to the EU Council of Foreign Ministers in Brussels on Monday. Baerbock announced that the council would deal with crises and conflicts in Ethiopia, Central Asia, Venezuela, Belarus and Cyprus. (Reuters, AFP, dpa)