The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) calls upon the leaders of the G7 nations and representatives of the European Union, as they gather this weekend in France, to reaffirm their commitment to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as it defends itself against Russia’s ongoing military and political aggression.
“Any discussion of inviting Russia to participate in the G7 meetings would undermine the integrity of the rules-based international order that Russia continues to violate with impunity,” stated UWC President Paul Grod. “The G7 and EU must further increase their pressure on Russia through economic and political sanctions against the Russian Federation, and those individuals responsible for the assault on Ukraine and the illegal imprisonment of over 100 Ukrainian political prisoners and 24 captured sailors.”
UWC reminds the G7 leaders of their joint statement in March 2014 in which they censured Russia for its violation of international law with “grave implications for the legal order that protects the unity and sovereignty of all states.” Russia has made no effort to end its war against Ukraine since they excluded Russia from the G8.
The UWC is deeply troubled with the recent statements by French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Donald Trump who expressed their support for the reinstatement of the Russian Federation in the G7.
“As Ukraine prepares to mark its 28th anniversary of independence while still defending its borders against the military aggression of the Russian Federation, the UWC calls on the international community to bring Russia to account for its crimes against the Ukrainian people,” stated UWC President Paul Grod. “We remind Presidents Trump and Macron that Russia was expelled from the then G8 precisely for its actions in Ukraine that contravened international law and commitments. Russia continues to persistently violate Ukraine’s borders and the fundamental human rights of the Ukrainian people.”
President Trump made similar comments testing the climate for Russia’s reinstatement in the G7 prior to the summit in 2018 held in Canada, however the leaders of Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, and France rejected the idea and reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine.
The war in Eastern Ukraine rages on and the casualties continue to mount. The war has resulted in 15,000 deaths, the displacement of 1.6 million persons and negatively impacted the lives of more than 4.4 million residents of the Donbas. The human rights of the residents of Crimea continue to be violated by the Russian occupiers. More than 100 Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars remain unlawfully imprisoned by Russian authorities.
