14:34 07.04.2022

G7 countries, EU warn Russia against any threat or use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons

3 min read

The G7 countries and the EU warn Russia against any threat or use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, which will entail grave consequences, the G7 foreign ministers and the EU High Representative have said.

"We warn against any threat or use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. We recall Russia’s obligations under international treaties of which it is a party, and which protect us all. Any use by Russia of such a weapon would be unacceptable and result in severe consequences," they said in a statement posted on the website of the government of the UK on Thursday.

The G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union condemned Russia's unsubstantiated claims and false allegations against Ukraine, a respected member of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention that is in compliance with its legal obligations under those instruments. They expressed concern about other countries and actors that have amplified Russia's disinformation campaign.

"We express our gravest concern with Russia forcefully seizing control of nuclear facilities, and other violent actions in connection with a number of nuclear facilities, nuclear and other radioactive material, which have caused and continue to pose serious and direct threats to the safety and security of these facilities and their civilian personnel, significantly raising the risk of a nuclear accident or incident, which endangers the population of Ukraine, neighbouring States and the international community," they said in the statement.

The officials reiterated their demand that Russia upholds its obligations under international humanitarian law and desists from further blatant abuses. The Russian leadership must immediately provide for safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access and make safe passages work, enabling humanitarian aid to be delivered to besieged cities and civilians to reach safety, they said.

"We commit to supporting the Government of Ukraine’s humanitarian coordination structure and to disburse humanitarian support quickly. We ask others to join in this effort. A humanitarian push including more funding is urgently needed for Ukraine and beyond as Russia's ruthless war and actions are having massive consequences on global commodity and food prices," the ministers and the high representative said.

They said that the resulting rise in food insecurity is being felt disproportionately by the most vulnerable.

"We stand in solidarity with our partners across the world who have to bear the rising price of President Putin's unilateral choice to wage war in Europe. We will make coherent use of all instruments and funding mechanisms to address food insecurity, keep markets open, and build resilience in the agriculture sector on all continents. We will actively counter Russia's narrative that Western sanctions have caused the rise in global food prices and call it out for what it is: a blatant lie," they said.

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