The Group of Seven economic powers told Russia on Sunday to 91裸聊视频渄e-escalate91裸聊视频� its military buildup near the Ukrainian border, warning that an invasion would have 91裸聊视频渕assive consequences91裸聊视频� and inflict severe economic pain on Moscow.
Foreign ministers from the United States, Britain and the rest of the G-7, joined by the European Union91裸聊视频檚 foreign affairs chief, issued a joint statement declaring themselves 91裸聊视频渦nited in our condemnation of Russia91裸聊视频檚 military buildup and aggressive rhetoric towards Ukraine.91裸聊视频�
The G-7 called on Russia to 91裸聊视频渄e-escalate, pursue diplomatic channels, and abide by its international commitments on transparency of military activities,91裸聊视频� and praised Ukraine91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渞estraint.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淎ny use of force to change borders is strictly prohibited under international law. Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe cost in response,91裸聊视频� the statement said.
Russia91裸聊视频檚 movement of weapons and troops to the border region dominated weekend talks among foreign ministers from the G-7 wealthy democracies in the English city of Liverpool.
The U.S. and it allies worry that the buildup could be precursor to an invasion, and have vowed to inflict heavy sanctions on Russia91裸聊视频檚 economy if that happens.
Moscow denies having any plans to attack Ukraine and accuses Kyiv of its own allegedly aggressive designs.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, the conference host, said the G-7 was sending a 91裸聊视频減owerful signal to our adversaries and our allies.91裸聊视频�
The statement promised a 91裸聊视频渃ommon and comprehensive response91裸聊视频� but contained no details. Truss said the G-7 was 91裸聊视频渃onsidering all options91裸聊视频� when it came to economic sanctions. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on NBC91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淢eet the Press91裸聊视频� that 91裸聊视频渨e are prepared to take the kinds of steps we91裸聊视频檝e refrained from taking in the past91裸聊视频� if Russia didn91裸聊视频檛 step back.
The U.S. and its allies have played down talk of a military response to defend Ukraine, with efforts focusing on tough sanctions that would hit the Russian economy, rather than just individuals.
In the U.S., reporters asked President Joe Biden on Saturday about the possibility of sending combat troops to Ukraine, and he said that idea was never considered. 91裸聊视频淎re you ready to send American troops into war and go into Ukraine to fight Russians on the battlefield?91裸聊视频� he said.
Biden, who spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on a video call last week, said he had made clear that in the event of an invasion, 91裸聊视频渢he economic consequences for his economy are going to be devastating. Devastating.91裸聊视频�
Truss said Biden had made clear to Putin that the U.S. stance 91裸聊视频渃arries the support of the G-7 countries as a whole. And that should be very concerning for Vladimir Putin.91裸聊视频�
China91裸聊视频檚 muscle-flexing in the Indo-Pacific region and the ailing Iran nuclear deal were also on the agenda for the meeting of top diplomats from the U.K., the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan at the dockside Museum of Liverpool.
Getting a unified response to global crises from the G-7, a group of countries with disparate interests, has often proved tough.
Germany plans on getting gas from Russia soon through the contentious Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which bypasses Ukraine 91裸聊视频� though Blinken said it was hard to see the pipeline becoming operational 91裸聊视频渋f Russia has renewed its aggression on Ukraine, if it takes renewed action.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淪o I think President Putin has to factor that in, too, as he91裸聊视频檚 thinking about what he91裸聊视频檚 going to do next,91裸聊视频� he said.
Britain, which isn91裸聊视频檛 dependent on Russian gas, also has criticized the pipeline 91裸聊视频� but faces tricky questions about London91裸聊视频檚 financial district and property market, both hubs for Russian money.
U.K. bank and financial authorities have long been criticized for allegedly turning a blind eye to ill-gotten gains.
Truss insisted Britain has 91裸聊视频渧ery strong anti-corruption and anti-money laundering rules,91裸聊视频� but also suggested that Russian money and Russian gas came at a high price.
91裸聊视频淲e cannot have short term economic gain at the expense of our long term freedom and democracy,91裸聊视频� she said.
G-7 nations are also increasingly concerned about China91裸聊视频檚 growing economic and technological dominance, especially in developing countries. The G-7 has launched a 91裸聊视频淏uild Back Better World91裸聊视频� initiative to offer developing nations funding for big infrastructure projects as an alternative to money from China that, the West argues, often comes with strings attached.
Truss, who also invited ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to the Liverpool meeting, said the G-7 was 91裸聊视频渃oncerned about the coercive economic policies of China.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲hat we91裸聊视频檝e set out is a positive agenda about making sure that countries have alternative sources of investment, alternative sources of trade,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淎nd that we91裸聊视频檙e making sure that we abide by 91裸聊视频� and ensure others are abiding by 91裸聊视频� the rules based international system91裸聊视频� for trade.
A unified stance towards China continues to prove elusive, however, with the U.S. and Britain generally more hawkish than other G-7 members.
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AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this story.
Jill Lawless, The Associated Press
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