G7 leaders meet virtually on Wednesday with Ukraine's Zelenskiy
World
G7 leaders meet virtually on Wednesday with Ukraine's Zelenskiy
TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries were holding a virtual meeting on Wednesday with Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a show of support for the country's war against Russia.
G7 countries were expected to announce a ban on Russian diamonds and measures to manage some 300 billion euros ($323.58 billion) in immobilised Russian central bank assets and the G7 oil price cap, sources familiar with the matter said.
Biden, meanwhile, was set to speak later on Wednesday pushing Congress to fund his weeks-old request for billions of dollars more in Ukraine assistance. The U.S. plans to announce $175 million in additional military aid for Ukraine on Wednesday, according to a U.S. official.
"We'd like to make clear that we stand with Ukraine as the G7," a Japanese government official said, adding the message would be reinforced amid concern that the international community's focus could shift away from Ukraine to the Middle East conflict.
The official, who declined to be named, said the G7 will reiterate its commitment to imposing strong sanctions on Russia for its attack on Ukraine, but details were being negotiated. The official did not elaborate.
Zelenskiy, addressing the meeting virtually, called for continued support for Ukraine.
"Russia believes that America and Europe will show weakness and will not maintain support for Ukraine at the proper level. Putin believes that the free world will not fully enforce its own sanctions," he said, according to remarks posted to the president's website.
