G7 renews support for Ukraine, condemns Russian 'escalation'

By Alvise Armellini and Alexander Ratz

FIUGGI, Italy (Reuters) -Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven democracies on Tuesday expressed their support for Ukraine and condemned what they described as Russia's "irresponsible and threatening nuclear rhetoric".

They also warned that North Korean support for Russia marked a dangerous expansion of the conflict, with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific security, and called on China, a long-standing ally of North Korea, to act against it.

"Russia's use of an intermediate range ballistic missile on 21 November is further evidence of its reckless and escalatory behaviour," they said in a joint statement at the conclusion of their meeting.

"Our support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence will remain unwavering," they added.

Russia has been making a major push along frontlines in Ukraine's east, where Russian forces have made some of their biggest territorial gains since 2022.

The G7 ministers added that they hoped to start distributing funds from a $50 billion loan package stemming from frozen Russian assets by the end of the year. They also pledged to act against groups helping Russia to evade sanctions imposed on it after its invasion of Ukraine almost three years ago.

Their joint statement was issued at the end of a two-day meeting in Fiuggi, a spa town southeast of Rome, which Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha attended.

Ministers also tried to raise the pressure on Israel to accept a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying "now is the time to conclude a diplomatic settlement."

They called on the Israeli government to facilitate humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

"We express our strongest condemnation for the rise in extremist settler violence committed against Palestinians, which undermines security and stability in the West Bank and threatens prospects for a lasting peace," the statement added.

The statement also reinforced a call from the G7 in June for China to refrain from trade practices that distorted markets.

(Writing by Keith WeirEditing by Peter Graff)

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