Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told G7 leaders Wednesday that Russia had ramped up pressure on the front lines and warned Moscow was counting on Western unity to "collapse" next year.
The virtual G7 meeting, attended by Kyiv's key allies including US President Joe Biden and UK leader Rishi Sunak, comes amid fears Western support for Ukraine could wane as it makes limited progress on the battlefield.
"Russia hopes only for one thing -- that next year the free world's consolidation will collapse," Zelensky said, warning President Vladimir Putin had "significantly increased pressure on the front".
"We must win the battle for motivation. The motivation of our people and all of Europe. The ongoing battle is not just about the fate of Ukraine, it's about Europe," Zelensky told the leaders.
He also called on EU members to "fulfil" their promise of opening membership talks with Kyiv, as the 27-member bloc geared up for a summit next week.
The European Commission recommended opening formal membership negotiations with Ukraine in November, but talks cannot officially start unless all member states agree.
Despite a Ukrainian counteroffensive that has employed billions of dollars' worth of Western weapons, the front lines in the 21-month conflict have barely shifted in more than a year.
Attacks along the front have meanwhile intensified, including around the strategically important town of Avdiivka.
In a statement following the G7 meeting, leaders said they were "determined" to support Ukraine and find further ways to cap Russia's ability to fund the war.
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They also announced new restrictions limiting the import of Russian diamonds from next year, and said they would "tighten" enforcement of the Russian oil price cap.
"As Russia seeks to use winter as a weapon against the Ukrainian people, we are increasing our efforts to provide humanitarian aid and critical energy assistance," they added.
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Comments (2)
Part 2
With exception to WW2 the US needed 50 plus other nations to help it defeat little nazi germany, LOST ALL OF THEM! The greatest military power on the planet, virtually unlimited resources, almost a never ending supply of money, technologically advanced weapons...AND STILL LOST.
Now, yesterday on the 29th anniversary December 5th 1994 signing of the Budapest Memorandum...The US Speaker of the House throws a temper tantrum to find justification to NOT honor a legally binding agreement representatives from his nation's government signed their national word to.
But, this is the way of the white anglo saxon protestant. They profess from the highest mountain tops in the world about their noble wasp concepts of "truth, justice, integrity, ethics, and morality" YET fail every chance they get to practice these concepts.
The wasp has a friend in communist russians...both a culture of criminality. Their histories are littered with examples of breaking laws / international laws, treaties, agreements, and taking the land / resources of others by force and normalizing it.
Let this be a lesson to all...NEVER do business with the wasp OR communist russia.
Part 1
The reality of the offensive is the west especially the US is to blame for my nation's counteroffensive failing. Two of our soldiers were recently executed despite having surrendered to russian soldiers because...they ran out of ammunition. The west has blood of my people on it's hands just as communist russia does and the leaders of the west and communist russia should be put on trial in the Hague for war crimes against Ukraine.
Delay F16 fighter pilot training.
Delay F16 deliveries.
Delay ATACMS.
The US knew when UA's counteroffensive was going to take place and the delays coincided. They deny us the necessary equipment we have been begging for and refuse to give THEN complain how we are not performing any hollywood type miracles where wars are won in thirty minutes or less.
Hey US...how long did it take you to win WW2?
Korea?
Vietnam?
Iraq?
Afghanistan?