G7 Foreign Affairs in Capri, second day: focus on Ukraine and Iran

The summit, under the presidency of Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, got to the heart of things: we are moving towards an agreement on sanctions on Iran after the attack on Israel, which should be included in the final document. Tehran: “Do not take unconstructive measures against us.” The US Secretary of State: “Ukraine’s friends urgently make every effort to defend it.” Cybersecurity and artificial intelligence were also discussed at the summit

Second day of the G7 Foreign Ministers in Capri. The summit, under the presidency of Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, got to the heart of things: the central issues on the table remain the defense of Ukraine and the Middle East issue after Iran’s attack on Israel. “At the end of the G7 there will be substantial documents on all the dossiers addressed, we are perfecting them. There will also be a document dedicated to the Middle East. Our positions are clear, we are in favor of the possibility of imposing sanctions on Iran for the attack on Israel,” Tajani said. A new appeal is launched “for prudence and de-escalation: we hope that Israel’s response, which will probably take place, is targeted and is not a response that causes escalation”. More closely on Gaza: “We are in favor of the ceasefire, we hope peace can prevail with the goal of two peoples and two states.” In Capri, partnership with the African Union, cybersecurity and the challenges of artificial intelligence were also discussed (WHAT TO KNOW).

Iran: “G7 must not adopt unconstructive measures against us”

Iran has asked the G7 not to take “unconstructive measures” against it for the attack on Israel. “Undoubtedly, the adoption of unconstructive decisions towards Iran, and the irresponsible siding of Western countries to the Israeli regime regarding its measures that violate international law will encourage the regime to continue its evil deeds and adventurism, and will consequently exacerbate tensions in the region and the world,” the Iranian embassy in London said in a statement, as reported Irna.

Towards an agreement on sanctions against Iran

According to what was already leaked yesterday, the agreement on sanctions against Iran by the G7 is on the way. “It should be about individual sanctions on people involved in the supply chain of drones and missiles, which is the same chain of command that supplies them to Russia,” some sources stressed. The same issue was addressed by the extraordinary European Council in Brussels.

The next aid to Ukraine

From one conflict to another, US Secretary of State Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba – also present in Capri – discussed the next aid to Kiev in a bilateral meeting: the United States must unblock the new aid package for Congress, which will be voted on Saturday in the House, Blinken added. For Kuleba, the new measures the US House of Representatives will have to vote on are fundamental. “This is life and death,” the Ukrainian minister said, stating that “the only issue on my agenda here at the G7 is air defense.” And speaking to journalists, EU High Representative Josep Borrell reiterated the need to help Ukraine: “We cannot rely only on the United States, we must take our responsibilities. We have the Patriots, we have the anti-missile systems: we must take them out from warehouses and send them to Ukraine, where the war is escalating, and I’m sure we will do it quickly.”

Tajani: “If Kiev loses, Putin will never negotiate”

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, opening the first session of the G7 in Capri, stated that “helping Ukraine means working for peace, because if Kiev loses Putin will never sit at the peace table”. According to the deputy prime minister, “in an international scenario with very strong tensions, the Italian-led G7 has the task of working for peace”. And he added: “We will certainly discuss the Middle East issue. We are friends of Israel, we support it, but we want a de-escalation in that area and we are all carriers of this peace initiative. We will also have to address how to sanction Iran in some way for the attack with hundreds of missiles and drones against Israel, and we will also have to deal with the situation regarding maritime traffic through Suez and the Red Sea”. On the sidelines of the G7, Tajani also held bilateral talks with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, his French counterpart Stéphane Séjourné and the British David Cameron.

Stoltenberg: “Air defense essential for Ukraine”

Also present at the G7 was NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: “We will focus on air defense, it is an urgent and fundamental need” for Kiev. And he underlines the possibility that several countries will send Patriot batteries, but also other systems, “like the Samp-T” to Ukraine. Allies who do not have air defense systems are asked “to provide financial support”.

Kuleba on Sky TG24: “As with Iran-Israel, allies prevent death and damage in Ukraine”

On the sidelines of the summit, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba reflected on the different forms of help provided to Kiev to fight Russia and to Israel to prevent threats from neighboring states. “The strategy of our partners in Israel-he said to Sky TG24– appears to have been to prevent harm and death, which is why they found ways to effectively intercept and shoot down Iranian missiles. So far in Ukraine their strategy seems to have been to help us recover from the damage. Our task today is to find a way by which our partners will design a mechanism, a way that will avoid death and destruction in Ukraine as well.”

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Giorgetti: “Full support for Kiev”

Meanwhile, in Washington, the inter-ministerial G7 is underway as part of the meetings of the International Monetary Fund. Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti explained that “the G7 countries have renewed their full, shared and convinced support for Ukraine, renewing their trust in Kiev, which will be able to overcome the difficulties”. At the summit, frozen Russian assets were discussed behind closed doors, a topic which – says Giorgetti – sees the Italian presidency grappling with a “very delicate task”.

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