G7 warns Russia to accept Ukraine truce, urge permanent Gaza ceasefire
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The G7 summit, held in rural Quebec, comes amid discrepancies between the US and Europe regarding Ukraine, while "Israel" doubles down on its newly imposed siege on Gaza.
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Top diplomats from the EU, Japan, the UK, France, Canada, the US, Germany, and Italy pose during the G7 foreign ministers meeting in La Malbaie, Canada, on March 14, 2025 (AP)
The Group of 7 powers has called on Friday for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and threatened Russia with new sanctions unless it approved a truce with Ukraine, following Kiev's endorsement of a US-supported 30-day truce.
On the Ukraine issue, a joint G7 statement called on "Russia to reciprocate by agreeing to a ceasefire on equal terms and implementing it fully," referring to the US-backed ceasefire in Ukraine.
The G7 also 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," the statement added.
"I think that there is unity that now is the time for a ceasefire with no conditions," the British Foreign Minister David Lammy stated, adding, "I think that there is a coalition of the willing emerging to give Ukraine the security architecture and arrangements that they need."
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly also voiced satisfaction at the "strong G7 unity," including on Ukraine.
"So, ultimately, the ball is now in Russia's court when it comes to Ukraine," she told reporters.
However, she did admit that divisions remained on Trump's tariffs push, at a time when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told G7 foreign ministers that President Donald Trump's tariffs were not meant to be hostile to US allies.
"This is not meant to be hostile towards anybody. It is meant to be friendly and supportive of our national interest as a country," he told reporters after G7 talks in Canada.
Ukraine approves 30-day ceasefire
Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire in its conflict with Russia, according to a joint statement released on March 11, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirming that Washington will take Ukraine's offer to Russia and stressing that the next move is up to Moscow, declaring, "The ball is now in their court."
US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that Russia might accept a 30-day ceasefire after Ukraine agreed to the proposal during US-led negotiations in Saudi Arabia, adding that American officials would hold talks with their Russian counterparts in the coming days to push for a deal.
"Ukrainians agreed to it, and hopefully, Russia will agree to it. We are going to meet with them later on today and tomorrow," he stated, adding, "I'll talk to Vladimir Putin, yeah... Hopefully, he'll also agree [to the ceasefire], and I really think that would be 75% of the way [to peace]."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accepted the ceasefire proposal under specific conditions, including an immediate end to military operations, the reopening of safe maritime trade routes, and the start of prisoner exchanges. In reaction to Kiev's approval, the US committed to reinstating military aid and intelligence-sharing, which had been temporarily suspended.
Russian President Vladimir Putin quickly signaled openness to discussing the US-proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine but stressed that any agreement must tackle underlying issues rather than simply halt fighting temporarily at a press conference following his meeting with the Belarusian President on March 13.
"We agree with the proposal to stop the hostilities," Putin said, emphasizing that the ceasefire should help address the root causes of the conflict rather than merely put the fighting on hold.
Gaza ceasefire faces obstacles
The G7 statement also called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as "Israel" tightens its grip on the war-ravaged strip, amid a fragile US-backed ceasefire deal.
The statement called for "unhindered humanitarian aid" into Gaza after "Israel" cut off much-needed supplies and electricity in the strip under the pretext of pressuring Hamas.
While Hamas has repeatedly pushed for negotiations to move on to the second phase of the ceasefire deal, "Israel" has been evading them, instead opting for a US proposal that would extend the first phase of the ceasefire, while doubling down on Trump's plan to forcibly expel Palestinians in Gaza from their land and developing the area.
White House envoy Steve Witkoff has put forward an updated US proposal to extend the ceasefire in Gaza for several weeks, presenting it to mediators in Doha as a plan to secure the release of more captives held by Hamas while facilitating the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries, with four sources familiar with the discussions confirming the details, Axios reported on March 13.
Under the new deal, Hamas would be required to release at least five living captives and the remains of around nine deceased captives on the first day of the renewed truce, according to a source familiar with the discussions, however, Hamas has previously rejected similar terms.
Earlier today, Hamas stated it has agreed to release US-Israeli dual national Idan Alexander along with the bodies of four other dual nationals.
In a statement on Friday, Hamas confirmed it received a proposal from mediators on Thursday to resume negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner swap, noting that it dealt with the proposal "responsibly and positively."
Hamas added that it submitted its response in the early hours of the morning, which included agreeing to "release Israeli soldier Idan Alexander, who holds an American citizenship, as well as the bodies of four other dual nationals."
Meanwhile, American and Israeli officials said on March 13 the United States and "Israel" have been in talks with three East African governments about the possibility of using their territories to "resettle" Palestinians forcibly displaced from the Gaza Strip under US President Donald Trump’s proposed plan.
Discussions have reportedly been held with Sudan, Somalia, and the self-declared independent region of Somaliland, raising eyebrows regarding Trump's promises of relocating "Gaza’s displaced population to a beautiful area," considering the locations' poverty and ongoing conflicts.
Sudanese officials said they rejected the US-Israeli proposal, while Somali and Somaliland officials stated that they were unaware of any contact regarding the issue.
