FRANKFURT: The next round of G7 sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine should hit those oligarchs who have got rich under President Vladimir Putin, Germany’s finance minister said Sunday.
“We are working on further sanctions,” Christian Lindner told Germany’s ARD television. “I am particularly concerned about hitting the oligarchs.”
G7 countries announced plans on Friday for a fresh round of “severe sanctions” against Moscow, calling on Russia to stop its attacks near nuclear power plants.Germany currently holds the rotating presidency of the G7.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, will be physically present at the G7 meeting in Hiroshima on Sunday, a spokesman from the Ukrainian security service said on Friday.
“Our president’s presence is absolutely essential to defend our interests as very important matters will be decided there,” National Security and Defense Council secretary Oleksiy Danilov said on state television.
As of yet, Zelenskyy’s office has not released a formal statement.
Zelenskyy was scheduled to arrive in Saudi Arabia for the Arab League and then board a French government aircraft to proceed to Japan.
Ahead of his meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Germany announced last Sunday that it had committed a new €2.7 billion ($2.91 billion) in military aid to Ukraine.
Richard Walker of DW reports that Zelenskyy will get the chance to speak to Asian leaders in attendance at the meeting:
“The opportunity to potentially get face time with [Indian Prime Minister] Narendra Modi and other leaders who have remained on the fence so far [over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine] is particularly interesting for Zelenskyy.”
Later, it was revealed by Indian TV channels that Modi was going to meet the Ukrainian president outside of the talks.
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