G7 leaders issue Navalny call to Russia

On the 2nd anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, G7 leaders gathered in the capital, Kyiv. Following the G7 Heads of State and Government meeting—attended in person by Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and via video conference by the leaders of the US, Germany, France, the UK, and Japan—the leaders issued a joint statement.

Reaffirming their unwavering support for Ukraine, the statement noted, "President Putin has failed to achieve his goal of subjugating Ukraine.

Instead, he is forcing his own people to pay a heavy price every day for his government's reckless actions. He has depleted Russia's resources to fund an unnecessary war, torn Russian families apart, and cost hundreds of thousands of Russians their lives," the statement said.

"WE CALL FOR AN END TO THE REPRESSION"

The statement expressed full confidence that the Ukrainian people will prevail in their fight for their future and that they can help establish a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.

Addressing Alexei Navalny, the statement said, "We also honor the extraordinary courage of Alexei Navalny and express our solidarity with his wife, children, and loved ones. He sacrificed his life fighting against the Kremlin's corruption and for free and fair elections in Russia.

We call on the Russian government to fully clarify the circumstances surrounding Navalny's death. Likewise, we call on the Russian government to release all unjustly detained prisoners and to end the systematic repression of the rights and freedoms of Russians," it stated.

"WE WELCOME"

The statement indicated that restrictive measures will continue to be applied in response to human rights violations in Russia.

Emphasizing that the Ukrainian economy must not collapse, the statement said, "We will help Ukraine meet its urgent financing needs and assist countries severely affected by the war.

We welcome the European Union's (EU) approval of the 50 billion euro financial aid package for Ukraine. This support will provide significant financial assistance to Ukraine until 2027," it read.

WARNING TO NORTH KOREA, IRAN, AND CHINA REGARDING MILITARY EQUIPMENT

While the statement condemned the war crimes committed by Russia, it also called on North Korea, Iran, and China, which export military equipment to Russia, to cease their activities. Referring to the damage caused by Russia in Ukraine, the statement noted, "According to the World Bank, this damage exceeds 486 billion dollars.

Russia's obligation under international law to pay for the damage it has caused is clear. We are determined to dispel the false notion that Russia can prevail by causing the collapse of Ukraine's economy. Russia cannot indefinitely defer the payments it owes," it concluded.