Britain hosted top diplomats from the Group of Seven industrialized nations Saturday in Liverpool for talks dominated by Russia's buildup of troops near Ukraine's border and what Britain called Moscow's "malign behavior" around the world. The UK called for "a show of unity against global aggressors” as it welcomed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other G7 foreign ministers in the face of the Russia-Ukraine crisis and tensions with China and Iran, the AP reports. "We need to defend ourselves against the growing threats from hostile actors," British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said as she opened the meeting.
Foreign ministers from the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan attended. "And we need to come together strongly to stand up to aggressors who are seeking to limit the bounds of freedom and democracy," Truss said. The US and its NATO allies are concerned that the movement of Russian troops and weapons to the border region with Ukraine may be a prelude to an invasion and have said they would inflict heavy sanctions on Russia’s economy if that happens. Moscow denies having any plans to attack Ukraine and accuses Kyiv of its own allegedly aggressive designs.
A senior US official who participated in Saturday's discussions said the G7 ministers were united in their "extreme concern" about developments on the Russia-Ukraine border. The official said the ministers agreed that any Russian invasion of Ukraine would be met with a response that would bring "massive consequences and severe costs" from the G7. The U.S. and its allies have played down talk of a military response to defend Ukraine, with efforts focusing on tough sanctions that would hit the Russian economy, rather than just individuals. Reporters in the US asked President Biden on Saturday about the possibility of sending combat troops to Ukraine, and he said that idea was never considered.
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