**US Blocks Joint G7 Statement on Ukraine Support**
The US has once again blocked a joint statement from the Group of Seven (G7) finance ministers that would have shown support for Ukraine. This is not the first time Washington has refused to back a statement in favor of Ukraine, and it’s a sign of the complex relationship between the US and its allies when it comes to dealing with Russia.
The meeting of G7 finance ministers took place in Canada this week, ahead of the main gathering of world leaders on June 15-17. The joint statement would have included clauses on “further support” for Ukraine, but the US objected to these terms. Sources speaking to Politico said that Washington also refused to label Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine as “illegal” in the text.
**A Pattern of Obstruction**
This is not a one-off incident. The US has previously blocked joint G7 statements on Ukraine and Russia. In April, Washington refused to support a statement condemning Russia’s deadly attack on Sumy, which killed 35 people and injured 119. Similarly, the Trump administration opposed a joint statement on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine.
Since taking office in January, President Joe Biden has continued to face opposition from his own government when it comes to dealing with Russia. This is largely due to the fact that Biden has resumed direct contact with Moscow while also pushing for a peace agreement with Russia on conditions favorable to the Kremlin.
**Russia’s Demands**
In recent talks in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine, Moscow pressed its demands for full control over four partially occupied Ukrainian oblasts and the Crimean peninsula. The Russian side also demanded that Ukraine abandon its aspirations to join NATO. President Volodymyr Zelensky has made it clear that Ukraine will never withdraw troops from its own territories.
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