The G7 will make “concrete proposals” to “increase the pressure on Russia”

UPGRADE DAY

The G7 summit in Germany this weekend will produce “a set of concrete proposals to increase pressure on Russia and show our collective support for Ukraine,” a senior government official said Wednesday. the White House. 

He did not, however, give details on what these measures would be, after the West has already multiplied the announcements of sanctions against the Vladimir regime Poutine.

The same source also indicated that the subject of energy, the cost of which is exploding in the world, would be “at the heart of the discussions” between the leaders of the United States, Germany, France, Canada, of Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom at this summit.

The seven heads of state and government “see a set of common challenges in terms of the cost of living for their populations and more broadly in the world, particularly in terms of energy and food, said this senior official, who did not want to be named.

He was speaking at a press conference devoted to the participation of US President Joe Biden in this G7 summit as well as a NATO summit to be held in the process, in Spain.

< p>The White House stressed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would intervene, virtually, during these two meetings.

As for NATO, a senior US executive insisted that the Western defense alliance would present a new “strategic concept” to Madrid that “will mention the challenges posed by China”. p>

“It will be the first time,” she said.

Beijing will also be in the sights of the G7, which will look into the practices deemed always “more aggressive” by the China in economic and commercial matters.

The White House also mentioned the launch, during the G7, of an “infrastructure partnership” aimed at less developed countries, supposed to be a response to the heavy Chinese investments all over the world.

The members of the G7 have also invited Argentina, India, Indonesia, Senegal and South Africa to join their summit in Spain.

On the defense side, the senior White House official did not indicate whether Joe Biden would take advantage of the NATO meeting to see one-on-one is his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayipp Erdogan, who threatens to block Finland and Sweden from joining the alliance.

The United States, however, remains “optimistic” on the possibility of finding a consensus with Ankara.