G7 diplomats pledge action against China, N Korea, Russia

Karuizawa, April 17

Top diplomats from the Group of Seven wealthy democracies vowed a tough stance on China’s increasing threats to Taiwan and on North Korea’s unchecked tests of long-range missiles, while building momentum on ways to boost support for Ukraine.

The world is at “turning point” on the fighting in Ukraine and must “firmly reject unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its threats of the use of nuclear weapons”, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told his colleagues, according to a Japanese summary.

The meeting comes at a crucial moment in the world’s response to Russia’s invasion and efforts to deal with China, two issues that G7 ministers from Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and the European Union regard as challenges to the post-World War II rules-based international order.

A senior US official travelling with Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration’s goal for the talks is to shore up support for Ukraine. — AP

Three EU nations ban Ukraine grain imports

• Slovakia on Monday became third EU nation to ban food imports from Ukraine
• Slovakia followed Poland and Hungary, both declared bans Ukrainian food imports through June 30
• The countries imposed the ban in response to rising anger from local farmers
• EU objected the ‘unilateral’ measures and vowed to find a solution that respects bloc’s legal framework