G7 summit: “Robbery remains robbery”: Putin condemns new aid to Ukraine

Following the far-reaching decision of the G7 summit on Russian money for Ukraine, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin has sent a threat to the group of seven large democratic industrial nations. Putin called the use of interest income from frozen Russian state assets for billions in aid to Ukraine “robbery”. A breakthrough was made on this issue at the meeting of the G7 heads of state and government: the G7 want to set up a loan package with interest amounting to around 50 billion US dollars (around 47 billion euros). Ukraine is to receive the money by the end of the year.

The decision was praised by the G7 countries Germany, Italy, USA, France, Great Britain, Canada, Japan and the EU as a sign of unity among western Ukraine supporters. US President Joe Biden said: “Another reminder to Putin that we will not give in. Rather, we are united against this illegal aggression.” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke of an unexpected result that made her proud. “Now it has to be defined technically.”

Putin’s threat

The Western states are trying to find a legal basis for their decision, Putin said during a speech at the Foreign Ministry in Moscow, which was broadcast by Russian state media. “But regardless of all the tricks: robbery is definitely still robbery,” he added. The G7’s decision “will not go unpunished.”

Italy prevents mention of right to abortion

Meanwhile, Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, as host of the summit, prevented the group of leading democratic industrial nations from renewing a clear commitment to the right to abortion. The German Press Agency learned this from negotiating circles.

Accordingly, the planned final declaration merely emphasizes that women have the right to appropriate health services. It then goes on to say in general terms that this also concerns “sexual and reproductive health and rights” (SRHR). Reproductive rights are understood to mean, for example, that women can decide for themselves when they want to have children.

At the G7 summit in Japan last year, the group of heads of state and government took a very clear position on the issue. At the time, the text stated: “We reaffirm our full commitment to the realization of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, including access to safe and legal abortion and post-abortion care.”

We are determined to advocate for, advance and defend gender equality and the rights of women and girls in all their diversity in our countries and abroad. We will work together to thwart attempts to undermine the hard-won progress in this area.

Option for a blessing

A historic visitor landed at midday in the luxury resort “Borgo Egnazia” on the southern Italian Adriatic coast: Pope Francis arrived at the summit site by helicopter from Rome and was received there by hostess Meloni. He is the first pope in almost 50 years of G7 history to attend a meeting of the group.

The head of the church of more than 1.3 billion Catholics is attending a meeting on artificial intelligence. The Argentine could also use the opportunity to issue other warnings to international heads of state and government – and meet the controversial president of his homeland, Javier Milei. Milei was expected as a guest at the G7 along with around a dozen other heads of state and government.

“Happy Birthday” Chancellor

For Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the difficult week after the European election result for his SPD took a conciliatory turn. His G7 colleagues celebrated his 66th birthday. Before the first working session, some of them sang “Happy Birthday” outside the meeting room. In addition to Biden and Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel were also there.