The United States will impose new sanctions on Russia in line with G7 members

The United States will announce a “shocking set” of additional sanctions and export control actions against Russia as part of efforts to deprive the Kremlin of resources used to sustain its invasion of Ukraine, as reported by Kyodo News.

White House Homeland Security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the G7’s commitment to Ukraine will also remain “direct and clear” and that it will take “bold steps” to demonstrate to Russian President Vladimir Putin that ” “Time is not on your side.”

Kirby refrained from giving details, but added that new steps to be taken by the world’s leading industrialized democracies will include unlocking the value of frozen Russian assets to benefit Ukraine and help the country recover from the destruction caused by the war.

At the group’s summit this year in southern Italy starting Thursday, one of the main topics will be how best to use interest earned on frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.

Statement on the communiqué of the G7 Foreign Ministers

Diplomatic sources have said that G7 members, including Britain, Japan and the United States, are finalizing preparations to create an aid fund for Ukraine.

As for upcoming U.S. sanctions, Kirby said they will honor some of the commitments G7 leaders have made to date, making it more difficult for financial facilitators to support Russia’s defense industrial base.

On the sidelines of the three-day summit at a luxury hotel in the southern Italian region of Apulia, US President Joe Biden will sit down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss Washington’s next steps for the country devastated by the war, he said.

The bilateral meeting, followed by a joint press conference by both presidents, is scheduled for Thursday, according to Kirby.

Kirby added that during the G7 summit, leaders will also advance efforts toward an Indo-Pacific region that is “free, open, secure, prosperous, resilient and connected,” and discuss deepening China’s ties with Russia. , as well as about Beijing’s non-market policies that are causing “detrimental global repercussions.”