The Group of Seven advanced nations (G7), led by the United States, has issued a new warning to Russia against moves to “annex” Ukraine’s Crimea region, asking Moscow to halt all actions supporting the proposed referendum on March 16.
“Should the Russian Federation take such a step, we will take further action, individually and collectively,” the G7 said in a joint statement, asserting that any referendum with the presence of Russian troops in Crimea would be flawed with no legal effect and won’t be recognised.
“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, call on the Russian Federation to cease all efforts to change the status of Crimea contrary to Ukrainian law and in violation of international law,” the statement said.
Stating that “Russian annexation of Crimea would be a clear violation of the United Nations Charter”, the statement sought to remind Moscow of its commitments under the Helsinki Final Act, its obligations to Ukraine under its 1997 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership, the Russia-Ukraine 1997 basing agreement, and its commitments under the Budapest Memorandum of 1994.
The statement also called upon Russia to “de-escalate the conflict in Crimea and other parts of Ukraine immediately, withdraw its forces back to their pre-crisis numbers and garrisons, begin direct discussions with the Government of Ukraine, and avail itself of international mediation and observation offers to address any legitimate concerns it may have”.
Earlier this month, the G7 nations announced that in protest over the Russian actions in Ukraine, they would suspend participation in preparations for the G8 summit to be hosted by President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia, in June.
The US Congress meanwhile is preparing to consider significant sanctions against Moscow. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is planning a vote later on Wednesday to pressure President Putin to pull Russian troops out of Crimea.
The Senate legislation would authorise the Obama administration to impose economic penalties on Russian officials found complicit in Ukrainian corruption and in moves for military takeover of Ukraine. It would also approve a $1 billion aid to Ukraine in loan guarantees.
Introducing the legislation, Senator Bob Menendez commented that “Putin has miscalculated by playing a game of Russian roulette with the international community” and that the US would “firmly stand with the Ukrainian people to choose their own destiny without Russian interference”.