G7 ministers pledge another €22 billion in aid for Ukraine
G7 countries will support Ukraine with at least another 22 billion euros. This was reported by Reuters news agency on Thursday, based on a statement issued by the finance ministers of seven major industrialized countries. The ministers meeting on Wednesday also promised more financial support if necessary. Last Sunday, Ukraine asked for 46 billion euros to help close the budget deficit caused by the war.
Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States also spoke out against the presence of their Russian counterpart Anton Siluanov at a G20 meeting earlier on Wednesday. They said the days of international partnerships dealing with Russia “as usual” are over. Ministers of Canada, the US and Ukraine walked out of the G20 meeting on Wednesday when Siluanov spoke via video link.
Overview: Chechen leader predicts Russian take Azovstal factory, more EU sanctions on the way
These are the main developments from Wednesday evening and the night from Wednesday to Thursday:
- The leader of the Russian republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, expects Russian military to take full control of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol on Thursday. He said so in an online audio message. Ukrainian peace negotiators David Arakhamia and Mychajlo Podoljak say they are ready to hold a “special, unconditional” round of negotiations with the Russians in the besieged port city. The aim is to rescue the Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who are still in the Azovstal factory.
- The European Union plans a sixth package of sanctions against Russia, with restrictions on Russia’s energy sector, banking, imports and exports and transport. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in a video message on Wednesday night, the BBC reported. “We are working to make it really painful for the Russian war machine and the Russian state as a whole,” Zelensky said.
- Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and her US and Ukrainian colleagues Janet Yellen and Serhi Marchenko have a G20 plenary meeting abandoned due to the participation of their Russian counterpart Anton Siluanov.