Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has announced a clear signal from the G7 group of economically strong democracies against Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine. “Now it’s about showing Putin our determination that he won’t achieve his goals through wear and tear,” said the Green politician on Sunday at the beginning of the meeting of G7 foreign ministers in Karuizawa, Japan, with a view to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said as host: “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has shaken the international order to its foundations.” He added: “The world is at an historic turning point”.
Preparation for G7 summit
In addition to Germany and Japan, the G7 group also includes France, Italy, Canada, the USA and Great Britain. Japan holds the G7 presidency this year. The meeting in Karuizawa also serves to prepare for the G7 summit of heads of state and government in Hiroshima in May. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) will also arrive. Japan is seeking a united front against authoritarian states that seek or threaten to use violence to change the global status quo in the face of aggression by Russia, China and North Korea.
Strong security measures after incident
The meeting in the resort town of Karuizawa, 175 kilometers from the capital Tokyo, was accompanied by strong security measures. One day before the arrival of the G7 foreign ministers, a Japanese man in the west of the country threw an explosive device in the direction of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during an election campaign. Kishida was unharmed, the young perpetrator was arrested.
Given Beijing’s backing for Putin and concerns that China might one day reach for democratic Taiwan in a way similar to Russia’s in Ukraine, a realignment of relations with the increasingly aggressive giant is likely to play a major role at the meeting. China and the increasing threat posed by North Korea were the first topics addressed by the G7 foreign ministers on Sunday. Japan is the last stop on Baerbock’s six-day trip to Asia, which also took her to China and South Korea.
Baerbock: Sharpen engagement against Putin
So far, the G7 have opposed Russia’s aggression “as a continuous crisis team” one barrier after the other: with winter aid for the people in Ukraine, with the Russian sanctions and the oil price cap, said Baerbock. “With our support, Ukraine has withstood Russia’s energy war and winter offensive.” She added: “At the meeting in Japan we will sharpen our commitment.”
The G7 are “strong together because we know exactly what we stand for: for an international order in which the rule of law and international law take precedence over the law of the strongest,” said Baerbock. One is committed to economic relations that are not based on dependencies, but on fairness and common rules for competition, she added, probably with a view to China. “As democracies, we are successful in systemic competition with autocratic forces when our partners and friends around the world have confidence in us.” It must be avoided “that our unity is misunderstood by others as a demarcation or that new rifts are torn open”.
G7 issues: Iran, Indo-Pacific, nuclear disarmament
In addition to Russia’s aggression, the ministers also want to talk this Monday about developments in the Indo-Pacific, the situation in Iran and Afghanistan after the militant Islamist Taliban took power. On Tuesday there should also be a working session on Africa about the violence in Sudan and the situation in the Sahel. In addition, the G7 also want to talk about the future of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons against the background of developments in China and Russia.
Germany and South Korea agree on closer cooperation
When Baerbock visited South Korea, both countries agreed on closer cooperation. Outside of Europe, South Korea is one of Germany’s closest value partners, the minister said on Saturday after meeting her South Korean counterpart Park Jin. She announced a deepening of economic relations and a stronger joint fight against the climate crisis. Baerbock criticized North Korea’s missile tests as illegal under international law and as a real threat to security in the Pacific.
