Ukraine war: G7 raises war crimes possibility after mass Russian missile strikes
G7 leaders pledge to continue military, financial and humanitarian support for Ukraine
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Leaders from the G7 on Tuesday condemned the dozens of Russian missile strikes that rained down on Ukraine this week and said the attacks amounted to "war crimes."
Russia on Monday levied some 84 missiles and drone strikes across Ukraine, hitting civilian populations nationwide, including in downtown Kyiv.
People receive medical treatment at the scene of Russian shelling, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Oct. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms and recall that indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilian populations constitute a war crime. We will hold President Putin and those responsible to account," leaders from the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom said in a joint statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined the G7 nations in a Tuesday meeting in which Zelenskyy proposed a "peace formula" to help staunch Russia’s brutal attacks.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly asked nations like the U.S. to provide better air defense systems and on Tuesday called on all seven nations to assist Kyiv in finding funding for an "air shield."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The G7 joint statement did not comment on Zelenskyy’s requests but instead vowed to continue supporting Ukraine as Russia’s assault continues.
"We reassured President Zelenskyy that we are undeterred and steadfast in our commitment to providing the support Ukraine needs to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement read. "We will continue to provide financial, humanitarian, military, diplomatic and legal support and will stand firmly with Ukraine for as long as it takes."
Russia targeted not only civilian populations Monday, but Ukraine’s electric industry by striking several plants and causing power outages across the country.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right on the screen, attend the video conference of the leaders of the Group of Seven and Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
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In an overnight address Zelenskyy said that officials were working to get the systems back up and running, but Kyiv was forced to halt exports of electricity to the European Union following the strikes.
It is unclear if exports have yet resumed, though they served as the latest disruption to Europe’s energy supplies since the war in Ukraine began seven months ago.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We are committed to supporting Ukraine in meeting its winter preparedness needs," the leaders pledged.
"We deplore deliberate Russian escalatory steps, including the partial mobilization of reservists and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, which is putting global peace and security at risk," the statement added.
In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, top from left: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President of the European Council Charles Michel, second row from left, U.S. President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France's President Emmanuel Macron, third row from left, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Britain's Prime Minister Liz Truss attend a video conference with G7 leaders and Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The international coalition also called on Belarus to stay out of Putin’s war and to "stop enabling" Russia’s aggression by allowing them to use Belarusian territory to target and strike Ukraine.
"No country wants peace more than Ukraine, whose people have suffered death, displacement and countless atrocities as the result of Russian aggression," the leaders said. "In solidarity with Ukraine, the G7 Leaders welcome President Zelenskyy’s readiness for a just peace."