KARUIZAWA-G7 foreign ministers warned Tuesday that those helping Russia wage war in Ukraine would face “severe costs”, as they offered a united front on another key policy challenge.
After two days of talks in the bucolic Japanese mountain resort town Karuizawa, the top diplomats from leading economies unveiled no new sanctions on Moscow over its invasion but pledged to crack down on those helping Russia evade the measures and acquire weapons.
The ministers also put Beijing on notice over South China Sea and insisted their Taiwan policy was unchanged despite recent controversial comments from France’s president.
Their final statement sparked a furious reaction from China, which said it had been “maliciously slandered and smeared”.
While talks were dominated by Ukraine and regional challenges, including a demand that North Korea “refrain” from new nuclear tests or ballistic missile launches, the ministers covered a broad sweep of global policy problems.
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G7 demands N. Korea ‘refrain’ from nuclear tests, missile launches
G7 foreign ministers on Tuesday demanded North Korea “refrain” from further nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches, warning of a “robust” response after talks in Japan.
Their warning came days after Pyongyang said it had successfully tested a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, hailing it as a breakthrough for the country’s nuclear counterattack capabilities. Last week’s launch was the latest in a string of banned weapons tests conducted by North Korea, which has already fired several of its most powerful ICBMs this year.