• Sunday, 22 December 2024

G7: Britain, US warn of 'serious consequences' for Russia in Ukraine

G7: Britain, US warn of 'serious consequences' for Russia in Ukraine
Britain and the United States warned Russia on Saturday of "serious consequences" if Russian troops invaded Ukraine, as a meeting of G7 foreign ministers takes place in Liverpool. In talks ahead of the gathering of the group of seven leading Western economic powers, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and her US counterpart Antony Blinken agreed on their support for Ukraine, a British Foreign Office spokesman said on Saturday. Britain and the US said they remain concerned about Russian military movements near the Ukraine border. According to NATO, Russia has gathered between 75,000 and 100,000 soldiers in the area. The G7 foreign ministers began their talks in Liverpool on Saturday morning. In addition to hosts Britain, the group includes Germany, the United States, France, Canada, Japan and Italy. Germany's new Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was officially welcomed by host Truss at the Museum of Liverpool before meeting with her other counterparts from the Group of Seven countries. The first working session was to focus on current geopolitical challenges such as dealing with Russia, China and Iran. At the weekend meeting, Baerbock from the Green party also wanted to present the priorities of the German G7 presidency, which starts in the coming year and which should also include the fight against the climate crisis. The previous evening, the politician held bilateral talks with Truss and her US counterpart Antony Blinken. The two-day meeting is the second under the British chairmanship this year, but the first for Baerbock and also for Truss, who has only been in office since a Cabinet reshuffle a few months ago. Truss tweeted just ahead of the meeting: "I will be calling for: A show of unity against aggressors, including Russia; the defence and advancement of freedom and democracy; closer economic, tech & security ties." She and Baerbock had talked together about "handing over [the] baton and working closely with Germany during its G7 Presidency," Truss wrote.

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