Group of Seven foreign ministers gathered on Thursday to weigh how to support Ukraine through the winter in the face of Russian attacks on its power grid as well as deal with China's growing assertiveness and Iran's crackdown on protests, APA reports citing Reuters.
The two-day meeting in Germany comes amid concerns over the consistency of Western support for Ukraine against Russia's offensive, amid leadership changes across Europe and a possible U.S. Republican victory in next week's midterm elections.
The top diplomats of the G7 rich democracies will join sessions in the western German city of Muenster focusing on Ukraine, China and the Indo-Pacific as well as Iran and Africa, among others.
"G7 partners will now together kick off winter aid for Ukraine," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said at the opening of the event. "We will not allow lots of people - the elderly, children, teenagers, families - to die from hunger or cold over the upcoming winter months due to the brutal tactics of the Russian president."
Baerbock said that more than 30%, and presumably 40%, of Ukraine's electricity grid had been destroyed.
"This does not only mean that there is no light in schools, in hospitals, but also that water plants running on electric power cannot pump water," she said, adding Germany had sent more than 100 generators to Ukraine to stabilise the grid.
"We will also supply heaters, pumps, living and sanitary portacabins, beds, blankets and tents," Baerbock said, noting other countries had already pledged to supply help. The joint winter aid will be coordinated by G7 partners, she noted.
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