The US has reportedly pushed for a softer tone on Russia in the upcoming G7 foreign ministers’ communique, according to a draft of the statement and sources familiar with the matter. The G7, comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the US, is set to meet in Charlevoix, Canada, next week.
According to a report published on Saturday, the US government is pushing for a stronger wording on China, while the language on Russia is to be toned down. The US is said to want to remove the word “sanctions” from the final statement and replace the phrase “Russia’s ability to sustain its war” with “earning income” as per Bloomberg.
The US has reportedly rejected a proposal by Canada to establish a task force to monitor the so-called “shadow fleet” of oil tankers, which Russia is accused of operating to circumvent energy sanctions. The US had in recent weeks, under the previous administration of President Joe Biden, added more than 180 ships to a black list, allegedly transporting illegal Russian oil. Moscow has denied operating a shadow fleet and maintains that all Western sanctions are illegal.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has abandoned the strategy of his predecessor to “isolate” Russia on the world stage and has resumed direct talks with Russia, which were suspended in 2022. Trump has emphasized that his priority is to end the conflict through diplomacy and achieve a ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev.
Last week, Trump hinted that the US might lift the sanctions “at some point” during the peace talks, but later threatened Moscow with a new round of “far-reaching” sanctions until a ceasefire and a “permanent peace agreement” are reached.
Moscow has stated that the Western sanctions have not weakened or isolated Russia, but have instead harmed the countries that imposed them.