Britain seeks unity at G7 meeting over Russia’s ‘malign behaviour’
- The UK called for ‘a show of unity against global aggressors’ amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis and tensions with China and Iran
- Britain is keen to work more closely with Asian nations as part of an ‘Indo-Pacific tilt’ following the UK’s departure from the 27-nation European Union last year
Top diplomats from the Group of Seven industrialised nations met on Saturday in Liverpool for talks dominated by Russia’s build-up of troops near Ukraine’s border and what host country Britain called Moscow’s “malign behaviour” around the world.
The UK called for “a show of unity against global aggressors” as it welcomed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other G7 foreign ministers amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis and tensions with China and Iran.
“We need to defend ourselves against the growing threats from hostile actors,” British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said as she opened the meeting of foreign ministers from the UK, the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. “And we need to come together strongly to stand up to aggressors who are seeking to limit the bounds of freedom and democracy.”
The US and its Nato allies are concerned that the movement of Russian troops and weapons to the border region with Ukraine may be a prelude to an invasion and have said they would inflict heavy sanctions on Russia’s economy if that happens.
Moscow denies having any plans to attack Ukraine and accuses Kyiv of its own allegedly aggressive designs.
A senior US official who took part in Saturday’s discussions said the G7 ministers were united in their “extreme concern” about developments on the Russia-Ukraine border. The official said the ministers had agreed that any Russian invasion of Ukraine would be met with a response that would bring “massive consequences and severe costs” from the G7.
The official would not elaborate on what those consequences might be but said they will be implemented “very, very fast” if Russia does not heed warnings to back down.
The US and its allies have played down talk of a military response to defend Ukraine, with efforts focusing on tough sanctions that would hit the Russian economy, rather than just individuals.