G7 ministers unite AGAINST Putin’s ‘malign’ behaviour to ‘DESTABILISE’ nations-US official
FOREIGN ministers from the G7 were in agreement “on opposing Russia’s malign behaviour” when they met for the first time after a chemical attack killed at least 70 people in Syria, according to a US state department official, as tensions between Russia and the West continue to escalate.
Foreign ministers have slammed Putin in Toronto
The senior US official has said that foreign ministers from the Group of Seven industrialised nations agreed on being opposed to Russia as Putin refuses to drop its support for pro-Assad forces despite the chemical attack.
The ministers made the comments when they met in Toronto, where they discussed tensions with Moscow, Iran and North Korea, as well as political problems in Venezuela and Myanmar.
The senior State Department official, who only spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “There was G7 unity on opposing Russia’s malign behaviour.
There was G7 unity on opposing Russia’s malign behaviour
“There was also openness among G7 members to dialogue with Russia while we hold them accountable for their malign activities and their efforts to destabilise nations.”
The German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has called on Moscow for their help to resolve the crisis in Syria.
Mr Maas said: “We know that the Syrian conflict, for example, can’t be solved without Russia.
“But I trust they come up with constructive offers in return.”
Western countries blame Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad for the chemical attack, but the Syrian government and Russia deny any involvement or using poison gas in the attack.
Medical experts have said that a mixture of chlorine gas and sarin were used in the incident.
Foreign Ministers gather in Toronto
Following the attack, France, the UK and the US launched air strikes against the Syrian government targets in response to the attack.
At the meeting, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, told the G7 ministers that Russia is using the Ukraine as a testing ground for its war on information against Western democracy.
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Mr Klimkin said: “Fundamentally, Ukraine is perceived by many, and also by Russia, as a sort of test range for testing Russian non-conventional warfare, hybrid war.”
The ministers have also spent time discussing the situation in North Korea as well as human trafficking.
The talks, which are due to end on Monday April 23, are to prepare for a G7 leaders’ summit in Canada in June.