The White House announced that US President Joe Biden will hold an online meeting, today, Friday, with G7 leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the first anniversary of the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, and will announce new sanctions on those who support the Russian war.
White House spokeswoman Karen Jean-Pierre said the United States will announce a broad package of sanctions against Russia, including banks, defense and technology companies.
Expression of the group of seven
The same group met last year, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his military operation in Ukraine, and imposed the first round of sanctions.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, for his part, announced that Washington will provide security and military aid to Ukraine worth $2 billion. Sullivan added, in an interview with the American media, that the United States is considering all the necessary needs of Ukraine to help it win the war.
In turn, British Prime Minister Richie Sunak called on the G7 to move faster in arming the Ukrainian forces with artillery, armored vehicles and air defense. Sunak stressed the need to provide Kiev with longer-range weapons in order to obtain a “decisive advantage” on the battlefield.
China called on Russia and Ukraine to hold peace talks as soon as possible, and China called on Russia and Ukraine to avoid attacks against civilians and civilian facilities. The Chinese Foreign Ministry warned against the use of nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian war
She said that all parties should support Russia and Ukraine to work in the same direction and resume negotiations and reach a peaceful settlement.
On the eve of the one year anniversary of the war, and in his evening speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the difficult military situation on the eastern and southern fronts, and said, “The military situation in southern Ukraine is very dangerous, but the Ukrainian forces are able to repel the invaders.”
He pointed out that the Russian forces bombed the city of Kherson, leaving about forty thousand people without heating or energy, adding that repair work in Kherson will continue until heating is restored to the population.
