Final declaration

G7: “Unwavering support” for Ukraine

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly speaks at the G7 summit in La Malbaie.(Bild: AFP/ANDREJ IVANOV)

The foreign ministers of the G7 states have pledged their "unwavering support" for the "territorial integrity" of Ukraine. In a joint final declaration on Friday after the G7 meeting in Charlevoix, Canada, Russia is also threatened with new sanctions if it does not support a ceasefire for Ukraine. 

In addition, the G7 states are calling for "credible security measures" to protect Ukraine from any new "aggression".

According to Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, the G7 foreign ministers also supported the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, which was backed by Kiev. "All G7 foreign ministers agree with the US proposal (...) and we are now looking to the Russian response," Joly told journalists on Friday, the last day of the meeting. The ball is now in Russia's court, Joly added. The G7 had shown "strong unity" on the issue of Ukraine.

Group photo of the G7 foreign ministers(Bild: APA/Associated Press)

Rubio attends meeting for the first time
The G7 foreign ministers met in Charlevoix, Canada, on Wednesday evening to find a common position on the war in Ukraine despite US President Donald Trump's rapprochement with Russia. The new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended the meeting for the first time.

A measure previously discussed by some European states to secure a desired peace for Ukraine - the deployment of European peacekeeping troops to Ukraine - was strictly rejected by the government in Moscow, which warned against a "direct armed conflict" with Russia. "It is absolutely unacceptable for us that army units from other states should be stationed in Ukraine under any flag," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

The unity of the seven major industrialized nations of the USA, Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Great Britain and Japan has been shaken since US President Donald Trump took office. Trump drew closer to Kremlin leader Putin and started a trade war with close allies.

Fashion statement from Kallas and Baerbock
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas and Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock made a fashion statement. The diplomats appeared at the G7 conference in the Canadian national colors of red (Kallas) and white (Baerbock) - in solidarity with their ally Canada in the face of US President Donald Trump's unprecedented threats of punitive tariffs and annexation.

"It was a great fashion statement," enthused Joly. "As a woman, I was very happy to see her in red and white. I have a very good relationship with my German colleague Annalena Baerbock." She is "a friend", as is Foreign Affairs Commissioner Kallas. Meanwhile, she called Trump's threats of annexation "absurd".