Liverpool, England, 12 December 2021 (dpa/MIA) - The foreign ministers of the G7 group of leading industrialized economies issued a warning to Russia, vowing harsh consequences if Russia attacks Ukraine, a move feared due to a massive build-up of troops near the country's borders. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the group had sent a clear message to Vladimir Putin from the G7 meeting on Sunday. She said any attack would lead to massive consequences with very serious costs. A joint statement was due to be released later in the day. In Liverpool, Britain is hosting the talks of the G7 group, which includes Britain, Germany, France, the United States, Italy, Canada and Japan. Russia had been considered an additional member until its 2014 annexation of Crimea. Recently, there has been a massive build-up of Russian troops along the border with Ukraine, according to NATO information, leading to widespread international concern. Moscow is said to have massed between 75,000 and 100,000 soldiers in the region, prompting fears of an imminent attack. Russia however has repeatedly denied plans to attack Ukraine. Alongside Russia and Ukraine, further issues the ministers are due to address include greater distance from China and concerns over Iran's nuclear programme. The G7 also seeks to send a joint signal for freedom and democracy at the conclusion of their meeting. The group must "take a stand as an united front against aggressors who seek to undermine freedom," Truss said ahead of the meeting. Most of the guests were not able to attend the meeting in person due to the spread of the new, more contagious Omicron coronavirus variant. The summit in Liverpool, in north-west England, is the last G7 meeting under the British presidency. From 2022, Germany will take over the role. New German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that she wants to make the fight against the climate crisis one of the central topics of the German presidency.