WASHINGTON: G7 finance ministers pledged Wednesday to take aim at those who are continuing to step up purchases of Russian oil, since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago.
In a statement after a virtual meeting, officials from the Group of Seven advanced economies — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States — agreed that it is time to “maximize pressure on Russia’s oil exports.”
This would hit at revenue Moscow needs for the war.
“We will target those who are continuing to increase their purchase of Russian oil since the invasion of Ukraine and those that are facilitating circumvention,” the ministers said in a joint statement.
They added that they agreed on “the importance of trade measures, including tariffs” and import or export bans in efforts to cut off Russian revenues.
The countries are also giving “serious consideration to trade measures and other restrictions on countries and entities that are helping finance Russia’s war efforts, including on refined products sourced from Russian oil.”
The statement came after the United States indicated last month that it was ready to broaden tariffs targeting buyers of Russian oil if the European Union takes similar moves.
President Donald Trump, who dialed in to talks between the United States and EU officials, had raised the possibility of tariffs between 50 percent and 100 percent targeting oil buyers like China and India, according to an official.
In September, the European Commission also said that it was working on potentially imposing tariffs on imports of Russian oil into the bloc, in the face of pressure from Trump.
The US leader has demanded that Europe end energy imports from Moscow before agreeing to move forward with sanctions against Russia.
The G7 ministers plan to meet again on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington this month.
G7 ministers to target those increasing Russia oil purchases
https://arab.news/jyn23
G7 ministers to target those increasing Russia oil purchases
- The US leader has demanded that Europe end energy imports from Moscow before agreeing to move forward with sanctions against Russia
Blair dropped from Gaza ‘peace board’ after Arab objections
- Former UK PM was viewed with hostility over role in Iraq War
- He reportedly met Netanyahu late last month to discuss plans
LONDON: Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has been withdrawn from the US-led Gaza “peace council” following objections by Arab and Muslim countries, The Guardian reported.
US President Donald Trump has said he would chair the council. Blair was long floated for a prominent role in the administration, but has now been quietly dropped, according to the Financial Times.
Blair had been lobbying for a position in the postwar council and oversaw a plan for Gaza from his Tony Blair Institute for Global Change that involved Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.
Supporters of the former British leader cited his role in the Good Friday Agreement, which ended decades of conflict and violence in Northern Ireland.
His detractors, however, highlighted his former position as representative of the Middle East Quartet, made up of the UN, EU, Russia and US, which aimed to bring about peace in the Middle East.
Furthermore, Blair’s involvement in the Iraq War is viewed with hostility across the Arab world.
After Trump revealed his 20-point plan to end the Israel-Hamas war in September, Blair was the only figure publicly named as taking a potential role in the postwar peace council.
The US president supported his appointment and labeled him a “very good man.”
A source told the Financial Times that Blair’s involvement was backed by the US and Israel.
“The Americans like him and the Israelis like him,” the person said.
The US plan for Gaza was criticized in some quarters for proposing a separate Gaza framework that did not include the West Bank, stoking fears that the occupied Palestinian territories would become separate polities indefinitely.
Trump said in October: “I’ve always liked Tony, but I want to find out that he’s an acceptable choice to everybody.”
Blair is reported to have held an unpublicized meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late last month to discuss plans.
His office declined to comment to The Guardian, but an ally said the former prime minister would not be sitting on Gaza’s “board of peace.”
