At a special summit in Brussels on Thursday, NATO countries warned Russian President Vladimir Putin against using chemical or biological weapons in his aggression against Ukraine. This will “have serious consequences”, according to a joint statement by the heads of state and government of the 30 member states of the Western Defense Alliance.
US President Joe Biden, who went to the meeting of NATO, G7 and EU countries, was satisfied: “NATO has never been as united as it is today. what he was going to achieve. ” The same unity has been achieved with the European Union and the group of seven leading democratic economic powers. Asked if he supports Russia’s exclusion from the G20, Biden said, “My answer is yes.” However, the decision depends on the current G20 president of Indonesia and other members, including China. If Russia is not excluded, at least Ukraine should be invited to join the G20.
Open the detail viewSupport for Ukraine is to be expanded, including for protection against biological, chemical, radiological and nuclear attacks.
(Photo: Vadim Ghirda / AP)
The G-7 format also met on Thursday in Brussels at the initiative of Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In a joint statement earlier in the evening it was stated that the sanctions against Russia would be extended if necessary. The US wants to make any gold transaction much more difficult for Russia, a high-ranking US government official announced.
Group G7 has sharply criticized Russian attacks on power plants, such as the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The G7 has also committed to reducing its dependence on Russian energy. They emphasized that the measures were not directed against the Russian population. “We want the Russians to know that we have no grudge against them.”
Chancellor Scholz said after the summit that Germany would use all its economic burden to help end the war. He called on Russia to withdraw all troops from Ukraine and bring about a ceasefire. “This is necessary to enable a viable diplomatic solution to the conflict.” Scholz declined payment in rubles for Russian gas and oil. The contracts provide for payment in euros or dollars. However, the EU made a conscious decision not to impose an embargo on energy supplies from Russia at the moment.
US President Biden announced that he would support European countries accepting refugees from Ukraine with one billion dollars; the United States alone would also admit 100,000 people. Now, however, the United States faces Moscow’s warning that it would break diplomatic relations. “The economic war that has been declared on Russia threatens to collapse bilateral relations altogether,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, according to Interfax. But there is still a chance of reaching an agreement. The US government announced new sanctions against hundreds of members of the Russian parliament and other members of the Russian elite.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, was linked three times by video in Brussels. According to the transcript of the speech, he said that his country was in the “gray zone” between the West and Russia. He compared Russia’s supremacy in his country’s airspace to “the use of weapons of mass destruction.” Zelenskiy demanded the supply of fighters, tanks and other large equipment that NATO countries have not yet made available.
“There is a limit that is not about becoming a party to the war,” French President Emmanuel Macron said of these demands. This border is shared by all allies, and therefore no one has yet delivered tanks and planes. On the other hand, surface-to-air missiles and anti-tank weapons would still be available. Chancellor Scholz said there is a new scrutiny every day what decisions need to be made regarding further armaments.
The Alliance has decided to extend its support for Ukraine, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. This includes helping to defend against attacks by Russian hackers. Ukraine should also receive equipment for protection against biological, chemical, radiological and nuclear attacks. In addition, the eastern flank of the alliance is to be strengthened by 40,000. soldiers.
Four additional NATO Multinational Battlegroups were established in Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. In addition, the Alliance’s ability to defend itself against cyber attacks is to be strengthened. NATO also makes it clear that it intends to respond more decisively to such attacks in the future. Stoltenberg reiterated, however, that there would be no NATO troops in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly in New York adopted by a large majority a resolution calling for “an immediate cessation of hostilities by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, in particular all attacks on civilians and civilian facilities.” 140 of the 193 countries represented voted against, only five against: Russia, Syria, Belarus, North Korea and Eritrea.