The foreign ministers of Group of Seven (G7) countries are expected to agree to increase diplomatic pressure on China over the country's support for Russia's 'war machine' in Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 25, citing an early draft of a communique seen by the publication.
The draft communique, which vows to introduce "appropriate measures consistent with our legal systems, against actors in China and in other third countries," is still in development as G7 foreign ministers meet in Italy on Nov. 25-26, Bloomberg reported.
If adopted, the language of the communique would mark an escalation among G7 allies, with an April communique simply calling for China to "ensure" that it stops supporting Russia with dual-use goods.
The reported draft communique comes as G7 allies attempt to increase pressure, as well as support for Ukraine, ahead of the January inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump — who has repeatedly criticized U.S. aid to Ukraine and vowed to get the U.S. "out" of the war as soon as possible. The draft communique is also expected to reaffirm the G7's "unwavering commitment" to Ukraine.
The escalatory tone comes as Western allies have reportedly accused China of militarily supporting Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Reuters reported on Sept. 25, citing European intelligence sources, that Russia has secretly established a development and production program in China for attack drones to be used in the war.
The EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell reportedly informed European nations of "convincing" evidence of Chinese production "of lethal aid" to Russia, the German media outlet Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reported on Nov. 15, citing three EU officials.
According to the draft communique, G7 allies will also "continue to apply significant pressure on Russian revenues from energy, metals and other commodities through the effective implementation of existing measures and further actions against (Russia's) ‘shadow fleet’" — referring to Moscow’s efforts to evade sanctions on the $60-per-barrel oil price cap imposed two years ago.
Earlier on Nov. 25, the United Kingdom sanctioned 30 oil tankers of Russia's "shadow fleet" that carried billions of dollars worth of oil and oil products last year.
Draft communiques are often subject to revision before a final draft is approved.
China has repeatedly claimed to have positioned itself as neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war, but has simultaneously deepened economic ties with Moscow and backed the country against Western sanctions.
Earlier in July, NATO's then-Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that allies agreed that Beijing is a "decisive enabler" of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Boldizsar Gyori
(Updated: )
