By AFP
March 14, 2025
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly speaks during the G7 meeting of foreign ministers in Quebec - Copyright AFP Sebastien ST-JEAN
Shaun Tandon and Ben Simon
The Group of Seven powers Friday warned Russia of new sanctions unless it accepts a ceasefire with Ukraine, in a forceful show of unity after President Donald Trump rattled the club of democracies.
Meeting at a rustic hotel in rural Quebec, G7 foreign ministers also backed Ukraine’s fight for its “territorial integrity” and spoke of Russia’s “aggression,” terminology earlier eschewed by Trump as he reached out to Moscow.
The consensus on Ukraine came despite mounting tension within the G7 — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States — as Trump slaps punishing tariffs on both friends and foes and questions the very sovereignty of host Canada.
A G7 statement backed a US-led call for a 30-day truce embraced by Ukraine and “called for Russia to reciprocate by agreeing to a ceasefire on equal terms and implementing it fully.”
“They discussed imposing further costs on Russia in case such a ceasefire is not agreed, including through further sanctions, caps on oil prices, as well as additional support for Ukraine, and other means,” such as using frozen Russian assets.
The Group of Seven also noted the “need for robust and credible security arrangements to ensure that Ukraine can deter and defend against any renewed acts of aggression.”
It did not elaborate further, and Trump has closed the door on admitting Ukraine into NATO, an idea loathed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that Trump did not want to impose further sanctions on Russia but “the US has these options available” if needed.
Hailing the rapid US-led diplomacy in recent days, Rubio said “there’s reason to be cautiously optimistic” about securing a truce between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump since his return to power has stunned allies by reopening dialogue with Putin and briefly cutting off US aid and intelligence sharing that has been vital to Ukraine since Russia invaded three years ago.
But the diplomatic picture changed dramatically Tuesday when Rubio and Trump’s national security advisor Mike Waltz met Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.
The Ukrainians, eager to restore the relationship after a disastrous visit to Washington by President Volodymyr Zelensky, welcomed a US call for a 30-day proposal, which a Trump envoy then presented to Moscow.
Putin said Thursday that he generally backed the truce but wanted more clarification, leading Germany and Ukraine to accuse him of a delaying tactic.
– ‘Strong’ unity –
Despite Trump’s taunting of Canada, Rubio hailed Foreign Minister Melanie Joly for doing a “great job” in reaching a “strong statement” by the G7.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy applauded what he called “unity that now is the time for a ceasefire with no conditions.”
“I think that there is a coalition of the willing emerging to give Ukraine the security architecture and arrangements that they need,” Lammy told AFP in a pooled interview.
Joly also voiced satisfaction at the “strong G7 unity” and said: “Ultimately, the ball is now in Russia’s court.”
But Joly — who left early for Ottawa to attend Mark Carney’s swearing in as Canada’s new prime minister — noted that divisions remained on Trump’s tariffs push.
She also said she sought solidarity faced with bellicose language by Trump, who has mocked Canada as the 51st US state and just Thursday quipped that national anthem “O Canada” would sound nice as a state song.
G7 colleagues had taken Trump’s remarks “in humorous way,” Joly said.
“But I said to them, this is not a joke. Canadians are anxious. Canadians are proud people, and you are here in a sovereign country,” she said.
– Joint call on Gaza –
The G7 statement also called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as Israel ramps up pressure on Hamas after a teetering US-backed deal froze the deadly war.
The statement called for “unhindered humanitarian aid” into Gaza after Israel cut off supplies and electricity to Gaza in a bid to pressure Hamas.
It marks a possible shift by the Trump administration, which has strongly backed Israel and not criticized such moves, despite the potential impact on civilians.
Russia ‘committed crimes against humanity’ in Ukraine: UN probe
By AFP
March 14, 2025
Large numbers of civilians were detained in areas that came under Russian control, said the report - Copyright AFP Sebastien ST-JEAN
Robin MILLARD
Russia has committed the crimes against humanity of enforced disappearances and torture in its war in Ukraine — part of a systematic attack on civilians, a United Nations investigation has concluded.
The new report by the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, published online this week, is to be formally presented to the UN Human Rights Council next Tuesday.
“The commission has concluded that Russian authorities committed enforced disappearances and torture as crimes against humanity,” the report said.
“Both were perpetrated as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population and pursuant to a coordinated state policy,” it added.
The categorical nature of that statement is unusual for UN investigators.
Large numbers of civilians were detained in areas that came under Russian control, said the report. Many of them were then transferred to detention facilities in occupied Ukraine or in Russia.
The Russian authorities “committed additional violations and crimes during these prolonged detentions”, it added.
“Many victims have been missing for months and years, and some died in captivity.”
In addition, the authorities have systematically failed to provide information on the detainees’ whereabouts.
Russia acted with the intent to remove disappeared people from “the protection of the law”, said the report.
Prisoners of war have also been subjected to torture and been the victims of enforced disappearances, it added.
– Killing captured soldiers –
Russia “systematically used torture against certain categories of detainees to extract information, coerce, and intimidate”, the inquiry concluded.
The most brutal forms were used during interrogations, but Russian authorities had also “systematically used sexual violence as a form of torture against male detainees”.
The commission also studied a growing number of incidents concerning Russian troops killing or wounding captured or surrendering Ukrainian soldiers, which constitutes a war crime.
“Testimonies of soldiers who deserted from the Russian armed forces indicate that there is a policy not to take prisoners but to kill them instead,” the report said.
Both sides had committed a war crime by killing or wounding injured soldiers using drones, it added.
The report details violations of human rights law committed by Ukrainian authorities against people accused of being collaborators.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The UN Human Rights Council established its highest level of inquiry in March that year to probe violations and abuses committed during the conflict.
– ‘Profound scars’ –
US President Donald Trump is trying to negotiate a peace deal to bring about an end to the war.
Russia on Friday said President Vladimir Putin had sent “additional” signals to Trump about a Washington-proposed ceasefire in Ukraine, adding it was “cautiously optimistic” about the prospect of a deal.
The inquiry said that after three years of armed conflict, the “profound scars” left on its victims were increasingly visible. Many had suffered seemingly irreparable harm and endured multiple crimes and violations, it noted.
“In this context, the commission underscores again the need for justice to be done and to ensure that perpetrators of violations and crimes are held to account.”
The commission said that while Ukraine had cooperated with the probe, Russia did not recognise the commission. Its requests for access, information and meetings have gone unanswered by Moscow.
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