‘We’re not going away’: Rishi Sunak arrives for G7 as UK unveils new Russia sanctions
The UK has unveiled a swathe of new sanctions against Russia, as Rishi Sunak arrived at the G7 summit in Japan with a self-declared mission to push India into showing greater support for Ukraine.
Flying into Hiroshima for the three-day gathering of world leaders – and becoming the first British prime minister to visit the city destroyed by a US atomic bomb in 1945 – Sunak announced a UK ban on imports of Russian diamonds and Russian-origin copper, nickel and aluminium, with other G7 members expected to follow suit.
Speaking ahead of the summit opening, Sunak said the message from G7 leaders to Vladimir Putin is: “We’re not going away.”
At a tea house in Hiroshima’s Shukkeien garden on Friday, he told Sky: “Russia needs to know that we and other countries remain steadfast in our resolve to support Ukraine, not just in the here and now with the resources it needs to protect itself, but for the long term as well.
“They can’t just outlast us in this conflict,” he added to ITV. “One of the common topics of conversation I’ll be having and have been having with my fellow leaders is about the longer term security agreements that we put in place in Ukraine, to deter future Russian aggression.”
Seeking to push his credentials on the global stage after a bruising few weeks of domestic politics, Sunak also set out sanctions targeting another 86 individuals and firms linked to Vladimir Putin, taking the total UK sanctions list to over 1,500.
Those newly sanctioned are described as being from the Russian president’s “military industrial complex”, as well as some who are involved in key economic areas including energy, metals and shipping.
The US has also promised fresh sanctions aimed at disrupting Russia’s ability to get materials it needs
Read more on theguardian.com
