TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Foreign Ministers of the world’s major industrial countries of the Group of Seven (G7) held an online meeting on Thursday, December 22, 2022. The meeting aimed to discuss ways to deal with Russia’s protracted aggression against Ukraine, the Japanese government said.

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Foreign ministers come from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, as well as the European Union. “Through the online meeting, they will exchange views on the current situation in Ukraine,” according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Foreign ministers are also expected to confirm their collaboration in supporting Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in late February 2022, the Japanese foreign ministry said.

The talks between G7 foreign ministers will take place the day after US President Joe Biden meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington.

Biden announced new military aid for the Eastern European country, including the supply of a Patriot air defense system.

Zelensky’s visit to the United States is his first trip abroad since Russia launched an attack on Ukraine.

Ukraine’s president said the US Patriot air defense system was needed to defend his country against Russian missile attacks that damaged critical infrastructure, such as energy networks.

In November, G7 foreign ministers pledged to “continue to impose economic sanctions” on Moscow, while pledging to continue supporting kyiv.

The support was expressed in a joint statement released after a two-day meeting in the western German city of Munster. Japan will take over the G7 presidency from Germany in 2023.

Read also : Zelensky urges G7 to increase shipments of long-range weapons to Ukraine

KYODO