Conclusions of the G7 Summit
The G7 states are ready to impose additional sanctions on Russia if the situation in Ukraine worsens, reads a joint declaration of G7 leaders following a two-day summit in Germany.
Corina Cristea, 09.06.2015, 13:24
The crisis in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on Russia by the international community, as well as other hot topics, such as the developments in Greece, climate change and the war on terror ranked high on the agenda of the two-day G7 summit held in Germany. Leaders of the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Germany and Japan agreed to maintain sanctions imposed on Russia until the ceasefire agreement signed in Minsk is fully observed. German Chancellor Angela Merkel explained the terms of the final declaration, saying that the conflict could only by solved through political channels and under the Minsk agreement.
Lifting the sanctions on Russia is directly linked to observing the Minsk agreements, Merkel went on to say, adding that G7 leaders were ready to tighten sanctions while doing everything possible to encourage political dialogue.
Vladimir Putin is trying to recreate the glories of the Soviet Empire by means of his ingressions in Ukraine, US president Barack Obama said in turn at the end of the summit. The US president believes that despite all denials, Moscow continues to support the separatists in the east of Ukraine, thus violating its sovereignty and territorial integrity. For months the US administration has pressured the EU to extend sanctions on Russia beyond July, the set deadline. The conclusions of the summit are therefore regarded as a victory for Obama, given that some European states were calling for an end to the sanction regime.
On the other hand, the White House leader admitted that the US did not have a fully-fledged strategy as regards the fight against the Islamic State terrorist organization, and that the recent actions of that terrorist group called for a change of strategy. Barack Obama called on the Pentagon to draft a plan to move up the timetable for training and equipping Iraqi security forces fighting ISIS and said additional efforts were necessary to put an end to the flow of jihadist fighters traveling to Syria via Turkey to join the Islamic State. The United States is currently leading an international coalition of 60 states against the Islamic State, a jihadist organization controlling large areas in Syria and western Iraq, supported by foreign combatants, including from Europe.
