G7 vows to fight hybrid threats, disinformation

BERLIN (AA) - The G7 group of the world's major economic powers on Friday vowed to strengthen cooperation in addressing hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns.

“The threat to our critical infrastructure and the spread of foreign disinformation and propaganda have increased significantly since the start of Russia’s war of aggression,” Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said, after the end of G7 ministerial meeting in the western town of Eltville.

“Russia is trying to spread insecurity with lies, undermine trust in state institutions and divide our societies. We condemn this in the strongest possible terms,” the minister said.

“And we can say: Putin will not succeed! We counter the lies with the facts,” she added.

A joint statement released after the G7 interior ministers meeting highlighted the need for international cooperation to counter foreign interference and disinformation campaigns.

“Hybrid threats, including information manipulation and interference, are a growing challenge for democratic societies, governments, and institutions around the world, demanding heightened international collaboration,” the ministers said in their joint statement.

“Together, we will stand up for our principles and make our democracies more resilient while at the same time pushing back any manipulative attempts to undermine confidence in our democratic institutions.”

The G7 is an informal forum of seven leading industrial nations, including Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. Germany is holding the presidency of the G7 this year.