Russia, Iran, China to top G7 meeting, German foreign minister says

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) – Russia, Iran and China will top the agenda of the Group of Seven foreign ministers' meeting in the western city of Muenster, the German foreign minister told journalists on Thursday.

Annalena Baerbock made clear the G7 will not allow that the Russian war tactic of attacking Ukrainian civilian infrastructure will lead to the mass deaths of Ukrainians by starving and freezing them to death.

She announced a coordinated plan by the G7 of leading industrial nations to provide winter aid for Ukraine.

"The joint sanctions that we initiated are now being followed by joint winter aid from G7 partners," said Baerbock, adding several other countries have already announced that they will join.

The G7 includes Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, the US, and Britain. Germany will hold the presidency until the end of the year.

On Iran, Baerbock criticized the government for the violent security crackdown on the protest movement.

In doing so, she also justified the German government urging its citizens to leave Iran.

For weeks one has been experiencing "the brutal violence with which the Iranian regime is treating its own citizens. How it beats its youth, its society, while its people are dying," she said, adding the issue of Iran would play a bigger role at the G7 meeting on Friday.

On China, the German minister pointed out that Beijing was not only a partner but also a rival, saying the Asian powerhouse has also been militarily more aggressive than in the past.

Baerbock said one would have to talk about "how we don't repeat again past mistakes that we had in Russia policy."

China is not only a partner on international issues, but also a competitor and a much stronger rival than it used to be when it comes to understanding an international order, she added.

Baerbock had been the driving force in changing Berlin's policy towards Beijing by adopting a tougher stance on China.