The Group of Seven industrial nations is moving to further isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin over his seizure of Crimea, barring Moscow from its meetings and warning of co-ordinated economic sanctions.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is signalling those sanctions could well target Russia’s petroleum sector, a key source of export earnings for that country. “We’re tasking our energy ministers to meet – that’s a very sensitive area, as you know – so we can examine what the options are available to us longer term to continue the pressure on the Putin government,” he said.
The fresh censure of Moscow came as Ukraine told its remaining troops to leave the Crimean peninsula for their own safety and Russian troops forced their way into a Ukrainian marine base in the port of Feodosia on Monday.
G7 leaders, who met Monday for about 90 minutes on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in The Hague, said they are suspending their participation in the Group of Eight and will instead meet as the G7 until Moscow “changes course.”
The G7, which stopped short of formally expelling Moscow from the G8, also warned it is prepared to slap co-ordinated sanctions on Russia’s business sectors if Mr. Putin escalates this crisis.
G7 leaders announced they are cancelling a G8 summit with Russia in the Olympic city of Sochi set for June – and instead holding a G7 meeting in Belgium. Russia has been meeting with Western powers as a member of the G8 since 1998.
A senior Canadian official, speaking on a not-for-attribution basis, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel – who has functioned as an intermediary with Russia – played a key role in bringing European support to the table for the latest effort to censure Mr. Putin.
In a joint statement, the G7 said it won’t meet as the G8 until Russia backs down from its “illegal attempt to annex” the Black Sea peninsula.
The Globe and Mail
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Hague declaration on sidelining Russia from G8
1. We, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission met in The Hague to reaffirm our support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.
2. International law prohibits the acquisition of part or all of another state’s territory through coercion or force. To do so violates the principles upon which the international system is built. We condemn the illegal referendum held in Crimea in violation of Ukraine’s constitution. We also strongly condemn Russia’s illegal attempt to annex Crimea in contravention of international law and specific international obligations. We do not recognize either.
3. Today, we reaffirm that Russia’s actions will have significant consequences. This clear violation of international law is a serious challenge to the rule of law around the world and should be a concern for all nations. In response to Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to demonstrate our determination to respond to these illegal actions, individually and collectively we have imposed a variety of sanctions against Russia and those individuals and entities responsible. We remain ready to intensify actions including coordinated sectoral sanctions that will have an increasingly significant impact on the Russian economy, if Russia continues to escalate this situation.
4. We remind Russia of its international obligations, and its responsibilities including those for the world economy. Russia has a clear choice to make. Diplomatic avenues to de-escalate the situation remain open, and we encourage the Russian Government to take them. Russia must respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, begin discussions with the Government of Ukraine, and avail itself of offers of international mediation and monitoring to address any legitimate concerns.
5. The Russian Federation’s support for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine is a step in the right direction. We look forward to the mission’s early deployment, in order to facilitate the dialogue on the ground, reduce tensions and promote normalization of the situation, and we call on all parties to ensure that Special Monitoring Mission members have safe and secure access throughout Ukraine to fulfill their mandate.
6. This Group came together because of shared beliefs and shared responsibilities. Russia’s actions in recent weeks are not consistent with them. Under these circumstances, we will not participate in the planned Sochi Summit. We will suspend our participation in the G-8 until Russia changes course and the environment comes back to where the G-8 is able to have a meaningful discussion and will meet again in G-7 format at the same time as planned, in June 2014, in Brussels, to discuss the broad agenda we have together. We have also advised our Foreign Ministers not to attend the April meeting in Moscow. In addition, we have decided that G-7 Energy Ministers will meet to discuss ways to strengthen our collective energy security.
7. At the same time, we stand firm in our support for the people of Ukraine who seek to restore unity, democracy, political stability, and economic prosperity to their country. We commend the Ukrainian government’s ambitious reform agenda and will support its implementation as Ukraine seeks to start a new chapter in its history, grounded on a broad-based constitutional reform, free and fair presidential elections in May, promotion of human rights and respect of national minorities.
8. The International Monetary Fund has a central role leading the international effort to support Ukrainian reform, lessening Ukraine’s economic vulnerabilities, and better integrating the country as a market economy in the multilateral system
. We strongly support the IMF’s work with the Ukrainian authorities and urge them to reach a rapid conclusion. IMF support will be critical in unlocking additional assistance from the World Bank, other international financial institutions, the EU, and bilateral sources. We remain united in our commitment to provide strong financial backing to Ukraine, to co-ordinate our technical assistance, and to provide assistance in other areas, including measures to enhance trade and strengthen energy security.
