Ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries made a collective call on Tuesday for China to use its influence and urge Russia to cease its ongoing aggression in Ukraine.
This plea was made during a meeting of foreign ministers from the G7 member nations held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
In a joint statement released by the foreign ministry of G7 chair Japan, the member countries expressed their sincere hope that China would leverage its diplomatic weight to facilitate the immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.
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This call to action from the G7 comes at a critical juncture, coinciding with the visit of China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, to Russia for a four-day diplomatic engagement.
During this visit, both China and Russia are expected to explore opportunities for strengthening their political ties.
There is even speculation regarding a potential visit by President Vladimir Putin to Beijing in the near future, indicating the deepening of relations between the two countries.
Within the joint statement, the G7 members not only called upon China to exert its influence on Russia but also expressed their appreciation for China’s involvement in a meeting initiated by Ukraine in Jeddah.
The G7 welcomed China’s participation in this diplomatic initiative and encouraged China to actively support the pursuit of a just and lasting peace, including through direct dialogue with Ukraine.
It is worth noting that recent diplomatic developments have raised concerns among western-aligned countries. Just last week, President Putin of Russia held talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Moscow.
The discussions encompassed the possibility of closer military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, a development that has raised alarms in the United States and other western-aligned nations.
Despite such concerns, both Pyongyang and Moscow have denied any plans for North Korea to supply arms to Russia, particularly given Russia’s significant utilisation of its military resources in the ongoing conflict, which has persisted for over 18 months.
The G7 joint statement did not name any countries, but said its members “reiterated their call on third parties to cease any and all assistance to Russia’s war of aggression or face severe costs.”
