EU, G7 to discuss sanctions on Russia at Japan summit

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) – The European Union and G7 partners will discuss new sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine and ties with China at the G7 summit in Japan, the head of the European Commission said on Monday.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, spoke at a joint news conference before they travel to a series of international meetings later this week.

Von der Leyen and Michel will represent the EU at the leaders’ summit of the G7, the cooperation platform of the world’s most advanced economies, in Hiroshima, Japan on May 19-21.

“We will also discuss sanctions and we will of course take stock of the existing sanctions and future measures,” von der Leyen said.

She explained that the European Commission had recently presented to EU member states the draft of the bloc’s 11th sanctions package which is “very closely coordinated with the other G7 (partners) that are building also similar package.”

The new sanctions are expected to enforce the existing measures and prevent circumvention, as well as target other countries’ export to Russia, including seven Chinese companies that sell equipment used by the Russian army.

Von der Leyen added that “economic security,” which is a keyword in relations with China, will be also discussed at the summit.

She expects G7 leaders to agree on a set of “shared principles” towards China.

Von der Leyen reiterated that the EU seeks to “de-risk” its economic relationship with China by reducing strategic dependencies and protecting advanced technologies.