[Text/Observer Network Liu Chenghui]
On June 27, local time, Ukrainian President Zelensky attended the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in Germany via video. Zelensky asked the Group of Seven to provide Ukraine with more weapons and air defense systems. He also said that he hopes to end the military conflict before the start of this winter. The leaders of the Group of Seven countries should strengthen sanctions on Russia and make their best efforts to end the conflict.
CNN (CNN) said on the 27th that this was "a clear signal from Zelensky on the direction of the war."
It is worth noting that while Zelensky called for an end to the conflict in winter, the European Winter Energy supplies are facing a crisis. " Wall Street Journal " pointed out on the 21st that in the past, Europe was able to store energy in the summer for winter use, but in the context of Russian energy supply reductions, Europe's winter energy supply is facing more uncertainties.
CNN: Zelensky told the G7 that he hopes the conflict with Russia will end before the end of this year.
CNN quoted sources as saying that on the morning of the 27th, the leaders of the G7 held a closed-door meeting in Elmau, Bavaria, Germany. During this period, Zelensky participated in the meeting via video.
Zelensky said at the meeting that winter battlefield conditions will make it difficult for the Ukrainian army to counterattack; this winter may also allow the war to spread further. To this end, Zelensky urged the leaders of the Group of Seven to strengthen sanctions against Russia and make maximum efforts to end the conflict before the winter at the end of the year.
Although Western countries have implemented multiple rounds of sanctions against Russia, Zelensky once again called in his speech "not to reduce the pressure (sanctions against Russia) and continue to implement larger and more severe sanctions."
Zelensky Western countries were once again asked to provide Ukraine with more weapons and air defense systems. He said: "Any delay and restriction on the delivery of weapons to us is actually equivalent to inviting Russia to launch strikes against Ukraine again and again."
According to French President Macron said at a press conference after the meeting, Ze Lensky also told G7 leaders that the time for negotiations with Russia has not yet come and Ukraine is still seeking to consolidate its position.
"President Zelensky responded very clearly - now is not the time for negotiations. They will only do that when Ukraine has basically re-established its position of strength and is in a position to negotiate," Macron said .
The leaders of the Group of Seven mentioned in a joint statement on the 27th that they would stand with Ukraine "at any time Ukraine is in need", increase sanctions on Russia, and support Ukraine in a post-war settlement. Security Commitment.
G7 leaders took a group photo (AFP photo)
On the same day, The White House issued the latest statement on sanctions against Russia, claiming that it would continue to work with other G7 members and more than 30 allies around the world to sanction more Russian individuals and entity, crack down on the Russian military industry, and impose tariffs on more than 500 categories of Russian goods "to help Ukraine" and further "isolate" the Russian economy from the world.
When US President Biden met with his host German Chancellor Scholz that day, he tried to emphasize the importance of Western unity in dealing with Russia. He told Scholz: "Putin has wanted from the beginning NATO and the G7 to split up in some way...but we have not and we will not do that."
Despite Biden They have vowed to unite the West to deal with Russia, but CNN reported that there are still doubts about how long the Western front can be united against Russia. As energy costs continue to rise and global food shortages worsen, conflict will inevitably leave the world feeling exhausted. In addition, it also remains to be seen how large-scale sanctions leaders are willing to push for new sanctions against Russia.
The Wall Street Journal even bluntly stated in its report on the 21st that in the energy world, the summer months in Europe are called the inventory filling season. But the job has become much more difficult now that energy supplies from Russia have dwindled.Germany has had to take a series of emergency measures, such as restarting coal-fired power plants and providing incentives to companies to curb natural gas consumption.
Kateryna Filippenko, lead analyst for global gas research at consultancy Wood Mackenzie, predicts that if Russian gas supply flows remain at current levels, European gas storage capacity will be difficult to reach by November 70% of the storage capacity is jeopardized for winter gas consumption.
In addition to the G7 summit, Zelensky is also scheduled to speak at the NATO summit in Spain in a few days.
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg hyped before the meeting that Russia "posed the most important and direct threat to our security." NATO allies "will agree to strengthen a comprehensive assistance package to Ukraine," including providing Ukraine with secure communications systems and counter-drone systems.
"All of this equipment plays a role on the battlefield every day." Stoltenberg said, "We will help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era military equipment to modern NATO equipment."
This article is an exclusive manuscript of the Observer Network and has not been published yet. No reproduction is allowed without authorization.
