LONDON—Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven countries warned of severe consequences if Russia invades Ukraine, in a show of unity that they hope will deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from ratcheting up military pressure on the country and defuse tensions in Eastern Europe.
Following a meeting in Liverpool, England, the ministers from the group of wealthy democracies said in a joint statement that any invasion of Ukraine would have “massive consequences” for Russia. “We call on Russia to de-escalate, pursue diplomatic channels, and abide by its international commitments on transparency of military activities,” the G-7 foreign ministers said in a joint statement Sunday.
However the G-7 stopped short of laying out what measures they would take to punish Russia should it launch military action. Officials at the meeting said that these still needed to be decided at the national level. One U.S. State Department official said penalties could be implemented very quickly if needed.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that his counterparts at the G-7 were “very resolute, both in their deep concern about what Russia may be doing and may be planning, as well as their determination to take strong, coordinated steps if Russia does act aggressively.”
Speaking on NBC, Mr. Blinken warned that the Biden administration is “prepared to take the kinds of steps we’ve refrained from taking in the past that would have massive consequences for Russia. G-7 countries are equally resolute in their determination to stand against Russian aggression.”
The G-7 officials stopped short of laying out what measures they would take to punish Russia should it launch military action.
Photo: paul ellis/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
The chief U.S. diplomat said efforts to bolster Ukraine’s defensive capabilities, as well as potentially those of NATO, could help to deter Russia, but that “what is far preferable to all of this is diplomacy, and dialogue, and de-escalation.”
Ukraine has become a flashpoint between Russia and the West after American intelligence services reported the Russian military has massed tens of thousands of troops on the Ukrainian border.
Russia denies it is planning an attack.
On Sunday the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement accusing the U.S. and Western nations of “Russophobia” and “pushing Ukraine towards aggressive steps.”
Mr. Blinken joined foreign ministers from the U.K., France, Canada, Italy, Germany and Japan to make clear the heavy price Russia would pay if the continuing standoff escalates. Officials at the meeting say they want a diplomatic solution to the continuing tensions. “Any use of force to change borders is strictly prohibited under international law. Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe cost in response,” the foreign ministers said in their joint statement.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which carries Russian gas to Germany and has sparked fears of increased Russian influence on European energy markets, offers “a source of leverage” for Washington, Mr. Blinken said Sunday. Senate Republicans have held up President Biden’s nominees over his decision not to impose sanctions on the project.
Mr. Biden recently spoke with Mr. Putin for two hours during a video call, in which the White House said he warned the Russian leader against any invasion. Mr. Biden later began laying the groundwork for further talks with Russia to de-escalate the crisis, and assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a separate call that his country and other eastern-flank nations would be included in the discussions. Mr. Biden has previously ruled out unilateral U.S. military action if Russia does invade its neighbor.
Karen Donfried, the top State Department official for European affairs, will travel to Kyiv and Moscow this week to meet with senior government officials to discuss Russia’s military buildup. During a G-7 roundtable on Saturday, foreign ministers spoke about the need to give Ukraine both military support and support for its energy needs, officials said.
The two-day meeting in Liverpool was held up by host U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss as a demonstration of how the G-7 can unite against “aggressors who seek to undermine liberty.” The group also discussed ways in which they could counter China’s Belt and Road infrastructure program and aggressive trade practices, officials said.
“What we have shown this weekend is that the world’s largest economies are united. We have sent a powerful signal to our adversaries and our allies,” said Ms. Truss on Sunday. “We have been clear that any incursion by Russia into Ukraine would have massive consequences for which there would be a severe cost.”
—Courtney McBride contributed to this article.
Write to Max Colchester at max.colchester@wsj.com
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Appeared in the December 13, 2021, print edition as ‘Russia Is Warned By G-7 on Ukraine.’
