G-7 to slap new sanctions on Russia

US preparing to supply advanced surface-to-air missile system for Kyiv

FE Team | Published: June 27, 2022 21:36:41

ELMAU, Germany, June 27 (AP/AFP): Leading economic powers conferred by video link with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday as they underscored their commitment to Ukraine for the long haul with plans to pursue a price cap on Russian oil, raise tariffs on Russian goods and impose other new sanctions.
The new aid and efforts to exact punishment on Moscow from the Group of Seven leaders come as a Zelenskyy has openly worried that the West has become fatigued by the cost of a war that is contributing to soaring energy costs and price hikes on essential goods around the globe.
Leaders were finalizing the deal to seek a price cap during their three-day G-7 summit in the German Alps. The details of how a price cap would work, as well as its impact on the Russian economy, were to be resolved by the G-7 finance ministers in the coming weeks and months, according to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the announcements from the summit.
The largest democratic economies will also commit to raising tariffs on Russian imports to their countries, with the U.S. announcing new tariffs on 570 categories of goods, as well as use of sanctions to target Russia's defense supply chains that support its effort to rearm during the war.
The United States is planning to send Ukraine sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles to defend against Russian attacks, a source familiar with the process told AFP on Monday.
President Joe Biden, who is attending the G7 summit in Germany, "has made the procurement of advanced air defence systems for Ukraine a priority", the source said, asking not to be identified.
An announcement is "likely this week" on the purchase of NASAMS, an "advanced medium- to long-range surface-to-air missile defence system", as well as other weaponry to help Ukraine fight Russia's invasion.
This will include "additional artillery ammunition and counter-battery radars", which are used to pinpoint the source of enemy artillery firing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who addressed G7 leaders by video-link on Monday, has pleaded for more powerful defences against Russian air attacks since the start of the invasion in February.
With Russian aircraft and cruise missiles bombing Ukrainian troops and residential areas daily, Zelensky initially focused on his rallying cry of "close the skies" with a request for Western countries to send war planes to Ukraine.
After the United States and European allies made clear that sending planes was too risky, potentially drawing them directly into the conflict against Russia, focus pivoted to surface-to-air missiles.
Ukraine has a variety of these weapons, including the powerful Soviet-designed S-300 system.
The NASAMS, built by Raytheon in the United States in partnership with Norway's Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace, has been sold in 12 countries, according to the company website.
Additional aid includes more ammunition for Ukrainian artillery, as well as counter-battery radars, to support its efforts against the Russian assault in the Donbas, the person said.