G7 updates: Ministers pledge to boost Ukraine's air defenses

Chinese firms are exporting materials to Russia that can serve both civilian and military purposes, thus helping advance Moscow's military expansion, according to the final statement from the foreign ministers' meeting.

"We express our strong concern about transfers to Russia from businesses in the People's Republic of China of dual-use materials and weapons components that Russia is using to advance its military production," the statement said.

 "This is enabling Russia to reconstitute and revitalize its defense industrial base, posing a threat both to Ukraine and to international peace and security," the statement went on.

The foreign ministers called on China to take measures to stop such exports, saying they would "only prolong this conflict and increase the threat that Russia poses to its neighbors."

Washington has accused China of helping Russia's "most ambitious defense expansion since the Soviet era," although it has so far presented no proof that Beijing has been supplying actual weapons for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking after the gathering, said China cannot help Russia if it wants to have good relations with Europe.

The foreign ministers have condemned the number of civilians killed in Gaza during Israel's military offensive against the militant Islamist group Hamas that rules the Palestinian territory.

"We deplore all losses of civilian lives and note with great concern the unacceptable number of civilians, including thousands of women, children and persons in vulnerable situations who have been killed in Gaza," they said in a statement.

The Hamas-run Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip on Thursday put the death toll in the enclave at at least 33,970. Its statistics, which organizations such as the United Nations accept as broadly accurate, do not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths.

Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by Israel, the European Union, the United States and several other countries. Israel's offensive has come in response to a Hamas raid on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which more than 1,200 Israelis died.

Group of Seven (G7) countries are examining whether they can use frozen Russian assets held in the West to aid Ukraine, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Friday after the meeting on Capri.

The United States and Britain have said they want the some $300 billion of sovereign Russian assets to be used to pay for Ukraine's defense, but EU member states have previously questioned whether such a move would be legal.  

Tajani said using the interest from the funds would be legally possible but that experts had yet to ascertain whether use of the capital itself could also have a legal basis.

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations (G7) on Friday called for "all parties" to "work to prevent further escalation" in the Middle East after reports of explosions in Iran.

"In light of reports of strikes on April 19, we urge all parties to work to prevent further escalation. The G7 will continue to work to this end," G7 ministers said in a communique.

Ministers from Italy, the UK, US, France, Germany, Japan and Canada said they "demand that Iran and its affiliated groups cease their attacks."

"We will hold the Iranian government accountable for its malicious and destabilizing actions," they said after a meeting on the Italian island of Capri.

"We call on all parties, both in the region and beyond, to offer their positive contribution to this collective effort."

In their final statement, the foreign ministers have promised to "bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities."

"We express our resolve in particular to bolster Ukraine's air defence capabilities to save lives and protect critical infrastructure. We will also work with partners towards this end," the ministers of Italy, the United States, the UK, France, Canada and Germany said in a final statement.

Their words come after a Russian missile strike overnight reportedly claimed eight lives in the Dnipropetrovsk region 

The foreign ministers also said they would examine using frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.

The communique added: "We reaffirm our unwavering determination to support democratic Ukraine as it defends its freedom, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders."

"We pay tribute to the bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people, fighting for their freedom and democratic future."

G7 foreign ministers have identified "specific steps" needed to help Ukraine fight Russia's aggression, Kyiv's foreign minister said on Friday.

"We identified specific steps which Western partners will make to help Ukraine," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told reporters on the Italian island of Capri where G7 foreign ministers are meeting.

He said the West had the capacity "to provide Ukraine with all necessary resources as soon as possible to save Europe from a larger war."

Kuleba warned that Europe would be engulfed by conflict if Russia triumphed over its neighbor.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called for an "absolute de-escalation" in the Middle East conflicts after explosions in Iran overnight. Major media outlets have cited US government sources as saying that Israel had carried out a military operation.

"We invite everyone to be cautious to avoid an escalation," Tajani told RAI news from the Italian island of Capri where the G7 foreign ministers meeting is being held.

The G7, which includes the UK, US, France, Germany, Iran Japan and Canada, wants an "absolute de-escalation" in the Middle East, he said.

While British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he wouldn't speculate on reports Israel had carried out an attack, he called for calm.

"It's a developing situation, it wouldn't be right for me to speculate until the facts become clearer and we're working to confirm the details together with allies," Sunak said.

"Significant escalation is not in anyone's interest. What we want to see is calm heads prevail across the region," Sunak said following a speech in central London.

US media cited officials in Washington as saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes on its arch-rival early Friday. Iran's state media reported explosions in the central province of Isfahan.

The Middle East crisis was first on the G7 agenda on Thursday morning and Tajani confirmed the Iran situation would be "discussed" again on Friday.

G7 foreign ministers on Thursday discussed the need for further sanctions on Iran following the drone and missile attack on Israeli territory at the weekend.

The United States and Britain announced sweeping sanctions, specifically targeting Iran's drone production.

The G7 ministers were expected to urge Israel to refrain from launching a large-scale counterattack on Tehran, despite Iran's aggressive move.

The talks on the Mediterranean island of Capri, Italy, also focused on Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the meeting Thursday that Kyiv had an "urgent, critical need for more air defense."

He said there had been "important, encouraging signs" of new support from NATO allies, including a US Congressional vote this weekend on a long-stalled $61-billion package of aid.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba joined his G7 counterparts for a working session dedicated to the conflict.

Kuleba called for other countries to follow Germany, which at the weekend said it was sending an additional Patriot air defense system to Ukraine.

After the talks, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who is hosting the talks, said G7 allies had confirmed "our maximum commitment" to Kyiv.

The G7 is made up of seven of the world's wealthiest nations, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Japan. The European Union also takes part in the meetings.