By Oliver Towfigh Nia and Michael Hernandez
BERLIN / WASHINGTON (AA) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Friday that the Group of Seven countries agreed on additional sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine.
“We must keep up the pressure so that Russia comes back on the ground of international law and finally sits down at the negotiating table. Of course, this also includes economic pressure,” Scholz said at a news conference in Berlin on the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine.
“We agree in the G-7 that we will continue to closely coordinate our sanctions and close loopholes. Today we committed to further measures and we want to implement them within the EU with the 10th sanctions package and take the necessary steps,” he added following a video conference of the G-7 leaders.
Scholz said the G-7 has once again assured Ukraine that it will support the Eastern European country “as long as it is necessary, politically, humanitarian, financially and also arms supplies.”
He reiterated Russian troops should withdraw from Ukraine, and without this step, it would not be possible to negotiate the end of the war.
Meanwhile, Scholz also said Germany is delivering four more Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks from Bundeswehr stocks to Ukraine.
Germany is thus increasing its number of tanks from 14 to 18, the chancellor added.
A joint leaders’ statement issued shortly after Scholtz spoke said G-7 nations, which include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, reaffirmed their “commitment to strengthening the unprecedented and coordinated sanctions and other economic measures the G-7 and partner countries have taken.”
It pointed to continued efforts to maintain, strengthen, and fully implement existing sanctions while simultaneously seeking to prevent Russia from acquiring “advanced materials, technology, and military and industrial equipment” from the nations.
“To this end, we will adopt further measures to prevent Russia from accessing inputs that support its military and manufacturing sectors, including, among others, industrial machinery, tools, construction equipment, and other technology Russia is exploiting to rebuild its war machine,” the leaders said.