Merz and Macron push to ramp up pressure on Russia as Ukraine signals ceasefire readiness
Macron and Scholz make a statement on pressure against Russia (Photo: Vitalii Nosach)
The G7 countries need to ramp up pressure on Russia to secure an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, say German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron.
“I am returning to Germany cautiously optimistic that the US will decide to impose further sanctions against Russia. We must do everything we can to end the war against Ukraine as soon as possible. The ball is in Moscow's court,” Merz wrote.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron shared that he met with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the summit.
“We stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people following Russia’s massive strikes last night. We are firmly committed to stepping up pressure on Russia to agree to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire — one that Ukraine is ready for,” Macron said.
G7 summit in Canada
On June 16, the G7 summit kicked off in Alberta, Canada, bringing together leaders from the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the EU, and the UK.
The agenda included discussions on the situation in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, and security in the Indo-Pacific region.
It was expected that US President Donald Trump would meet with his Ukrainian counterpart on the sidelines of the summit to discuss a defense aid package.
However, Trump left the G7 meeting early, stating beforehand that Russia’s exclusion from the G8 was a mistake.
He also explained to reporters why he has been hesitant to impose tougher sanctions on Russia, saying he is waiting for a possible deal to end the war in Ukraine.
For more details on what Ukraine can expect from the G7 summit in Canada, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.
