G7 pledges more military, financial aid to Ukraine to defeat Russia

The G7 pledged more measures, including long-term military, financial, humanitarian and diplomatic assistance to Ukraine, to defeat Russia in the conflict, the leaders said in a statement on Ukraine at the Hiroshima summit on Friday.

"Today we are taking new steps to ensure that Russia’s illegal aggression against the sovereign state of Ukraine fails. <…> We are renewing our commitment to provide the financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support Ukraine requires for as long as it takes," the document reads.

Participants in the summit called on Russia to "stop its ongoing aggression" and "withdraw its troops and military equipment from the entire internationally recognized territory of Ukraine," which, the G7 insists, includes Russia’s new regions and Crimea.

"A just peace cannot be realized without the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops and military equipment, and this must be included in any call for peace," the G7 countries underlined, as they reaffirmed their commitment to the so-called Peace Formula proposed by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.

The G7 also pledged to continue their active weapons supplies to Ukraine if the military conflict ends. "With a view to a viable post-war peace settlement, we remain ready to reach arrangements together with Ukraine as well as interested countries and institutions on sustained security and other commitments to help Ukraine defend itself, secure its free and democratic future, and deter future Russian aggression," the G7 leaders said.

In their statement, the leaders also condemned as "dangerous and unacceptable" Russia’s nuclear rhetoric and plans to deploy nukes in Belarus. Also, the Group of Seven supported efforts by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to strengthen Ukraine’s nuclear safety and security.[TASS]