G-7 leaders confer with Zelenskyy, prepare new aid for Ukraine
Zelenskyy tells G-7 summit Ukraine forces face urgent moment
ELMAU (Germany): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday underscored the urgency of helping his country's military improve its position against Russia in the coming months during a video meeting with leading economic powers, who in turn pledged to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.
Zelenskyy addressed the delicacy of the moment for Ukraine in its war with Russia to the Group of Seven summit, as the leaders of the major economies prepared to unveil plans to pursue a price cap on Russian oil, raise tariffs on Russian goods and impose other new sanctions.
In addition, the US was preparing to announce the purchase of an advanced surface-to-air missile system for Kyiv to help Ukraine fight back against Vladimir Putin's aggression, a day after Russian missiles hit the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv for the first time in weeks and as its military was continued a full-on assault on the last remaining Ukrainian redoubt in the Luhansk region.
The new aid and efforts by the G-7 leaders to punish Moscow come as Zelenskyy has openly worried that the West has become fatigued by the cost of a war that is contributing to soaring energy costs and price hikes on essential goods around the globe. The Ukrainian leader discussed his strategy for the course of the war, which has transformed into a bloody artillery battle in the country's west and east.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Zelenskyy's top request was for further air defence systems, followed by economic support to assist his government in meeting its financial obligations. Sullivan said most of the conversation was about the way forward and how President Zelenskyy sees the course of the war.
Zelenskyy also briefed the G 7 leaders on how his administration is using the assistance he's received to date to maximise Ukraine's capacity both to resist Russian advances, and to pursue counter attacks where possible, Sullivan said.
Sullivan added that the Ukrainian leader was very much focused on trying to ensure that Ukraine is in as advantageous a position on the battlefield as possible in coming months because he believes that a grinding conflict is not in the interest of the Ukrainian people .
Zelenskyy also told the leaders that now is not a time for negotiation with Russia because he needs to be in stronger position first, according to a senior French diplomat. The Ukrainian leader said he will negotiate when he will be in a position to do so, said the diplomat, who speaking under condition of anonymity in line with the French presidency's customary practices.
His goal is to end the war as quickly as possible and to get out of it in the best possible position, so that he can negotiate from a position of strength, the diplomat said, adding that Zelenskyy told the summit leaders that he needs economic, financial and military support.
After hearing from Zelenskyy, the leaders pledged in a statement to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. They underlined their unwavering commitment to support the government and people of Ukraine” in the battle for their country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
They said it is up to Ukraine to decide on a future peace settlement.
Leaders were finalizing the deal to seek a price cap during their three-day G-7 summit in the German Alps. The details of how a price cap would work, as well as its impact on the Russian economy, were to be resolved by G-7 finance ministers, according to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview announcements from the summit.
Zelenskyy did not raise the issue of price caps, Sullivan said, but called on G-7 countries to work to stem Russian energy profits.
The largest democratic economies will also commit to raising tariffs on Russian imports to their countries, with the US announcing new tariffs on 570 categories of goods, as well as use of sanctions to target Russia's defense supply chains that support its effort to rearm during the war.
Biden is expected to soon announce the US is purchasing NASAMS, a Norwegiandeveloped anti-aircraft system, to provide medium- to longrange defense, according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
NASAMS is the same system used by the US to protect the sensitive airspace around the White House and US Capitol in Washington.