Karuizawa, Japan, 18 April 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized democracies on Tuesday said they would intensify, coordinate and "fully" enforce sanctions on Russia for its war in Ukraine.

"We remain committed to intensifying sanctions against Russia, coordinating and fully enforcing them ... and countering Russia's and third parties' attempts to evade and undermine our sanctions measures," the ministers said in a joint statement adopted at the conclusion of a meeting in Karuizawa, Japan.

"We reiterate our call on third parties to cease assistance to Russia's war, or face severe costs," the statement continued. "We will reinforce our coordination to prevent and respond to third parties supplying weapons to Russia and continue to take actions against those who materially support Russia's war against Ukraine."

The G7 again called on Russia to withdraw immediately and unconditionally from Ukraine and condemned Moscow's nuclear rhetoric and Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

The use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons by Moscow would result in serious consequences, the group added.

The meeting comes ahead of a full summit of G7 leaders in Hiroshima, Japan in May. Japan holds the G7 presidency and is joined in the group by Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States.