G7 will increase pressure on Russia, - Blinken
The United States and other G7 countries will continue to work intensively on Ukraine's military, economic, and humanitarian support, as well as on increasing pressure on Russia, and further efforts in these areas will only increase.
This was stated on Friday in Berlin during a joint briefing with German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.
"We have worked really well today (at the ministerial level. - Ed.) In the context of what the leaders will decide at the G7 summit," the US State Department chief said.
He stressed that all parties in Berlin "seriously focused" on the current support for Ukraine, as well as on some other consequences of Russian aggression.
As for Ukraine, the G7 has remained "extremely cohesive" since the beginning of the war, Blinken said. In this regard, he noted that efforts in the G7 format - not only in the context of defense, economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, but also pressure on Russia to end the war - continue.
"And today we have considered ways to deepen efforts in all these areas in the future," said the head of US diplomacy.
Regarding other consequences of Russian aggression, Blinken pointed out, first of all, the threat to food security. "It simply came to our notice then. For three or four years, there were about 100 million people in the world who were acutely short of food. A year ago, their number rose to 160 million. Now 40-50 million more people have been added," he said.
The head of the State Department stressed that against the background of a combination of global challenges - pandemics and climate change, Russian aggression, which poses no less threats to food security, can be stopped at the request of Russia alone. Blinken stressed that no sanctions against Russia concern food, so there is no other reason to block food exports from Ukraine than Russia's unilateral actions.
In this regard, the US Secretary of State noted that the West is working to address this issue, including finding other ways to export grain to countries that need it most.
