New G7 threats against Moscow in the event of non-de-escalation with Ukraine

Published on : 12/11/2021 – 22:09

Washington again warned Moscow on Saturday, December 11 in the event of non-de-escalation of tensions with Kiev, during a G7 meeting. Members of the group tried to present a united front to Russia over Ukraine at a meeting of their foreign ministers in Liverpool, northern England.

An American official present for the meeting which is held until Sunday assured that it was still possible to solve “by the diplomacy” this new Ukrainian crisis.

For this, the US government has announced that it is sending its Deputy Secretary of State for Europe, Karen Donfried, to Ukraine and Russia from Monday to Wednesday, in search of “diplomatic progress to end the conflict in the Donbass. “, in eastern Ukraine,” by implementing the Minsk agreements “.

These agreements reached in 2015 to end the war that broke out a year earlier in this Ukrainian region between the forces of Kiev and pro-Russian separatists were never really respected.

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But if Russia “decides not to take this” diplomatic route, “there will be massive consequences and a significant price to pay, and the G7 is absolutely united on this,” warned the American official.

“Not only the countries that were in the room but an even greater number of democratic states would join us in making Russia pay the price”, she added.

Washington, the Europeans and Kiev have accused Moscow for a few weeks of preparations to possibly invade Ukraine, which the Kremlin denies.

These remarks echo those of US President Joe Biden, who “let his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin know” on Tuesday that Russia would expose itself to “strong sanctions, including economic sanctions”, in the event of an attack. in Ukraine.

“Global aggressors”

Despite still extreme tensions, the two leaders had decided to task their teams with follow-up meetings to see if a diplomatic de-escalation was possible. Karen Donfried’s visit will therefore be the first step in this diplomatic process.

The heads of diplomacy of Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom have more broadly discussed their position vis-à-vis the “global aggressors”, according to the expression of the British Presidency of the G7.

“We must unite with force to face the aggressors who try to limit the field of freedom and democracy”, launched the head of the British diplomacy Liz Truss at the opening of this two-day meeting.

“For this, we must speak absolutely with one voice” in the face of “authoritarian regimes”, she added on behalf of the great powers which claim to belong to the democratic camp.

If it did not name these adversaries, these remarks are part of the will, in particular of the United States, to involve the G7 in the Western strategy to counter the ambitions of China on the world stage.

For Liz Truss, this “united front” also involves deepening economic ties between democratic countries.

“We must win the battle of technology,” “by making sure that our technological standards are set by those who believe in freedom and democracy,” she said, in another allusion to Beijing.

G7 ministers are also expected to call on Iran to end the nuclear escalation and resume restrictions on its atomic program.

The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken met his German, British and French counterparts on Friday evening to discuss future steps, especially in the event of failure of the negotiations which have just resumed in Vienna.

Over the weekend, G7 ministers are due to participate in meetings extended to their counterparts from the EU, South Korea and Australia.

On Sunday, Liz Truss will host plenary sessions on global health security as well as the Indo-Pacific region. Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will join the G7 meeting for the first time.

In particular, they will address the crisis arising from the February military coup in Burma.

With AFP and Reuters