Tag: Press Release

• Prime Minister will focus on redoubling support for Ukraine’s defence on the first day of the G7 Summit
• UK announces new sanctions on Russian diamonds, metals and military-industrial complex
• G7 leaders will visit Hiroshima Peace Park before holding talks on Ukraine, Indo-Pacific security and nuclear disarmament

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will warn against complacency in defending our values and standing up to autocratic regimes, as he meets G7 leaders for the first day of the Summit in Hiroshima today [Friday 19th May].

The UK is today announcing a ban on Russian diamonds, an industry worth $4 billion in exports in 2021, as well as imports of Russian-origin copper, aluminium and nickel.

Alongside these trade measures, the Government is also preparing new individual designations – targeting an additional 86 people and companies from Putin’s military industrial complex, and those involved in key revenue streams such as energy, metals, and shipping.

They include those supporting the Kremlin to actively undermine the impact of existing sanctions, as the UK continues to work with G7 partners to tackle all forms of sanctions circumvention.

This announcement follows the Prime Minister’s meeting with President Zelenskyy on Monday where he confirmed new military aid and stressed the importance of long-term international support for Ukraine, including for the country’s future in NATO. The leaders discussed Ukraine’s path to deeper political partnership and increased interoperability with the G7 and NATO allies.

The Prime Minister will visit the site of the A-Bomb dome at the Hiroshima Peace Park later today with fellow G7 leaders, before attending sessions on international cooperation, the G7 response to Ukraine, Indo-Pacific security policy and nuclear non-proliferation. He will urge the international community to stay the course on Ukraine, ensuring it has the diplomatic, military and economic support it needs, in the interests of international peace and security.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

“For the sake of global peace and security, we must show that brutal violence and coercion does not reap rewards.

“As today’s sanctions announcements demonstrate, the G7 remains unified in the face of the threat from Russia and steadfast in our support for Ukraine.

“We are meeting today in Hiroshima, a city that exemplifies both the horrors of war and the dividends of peace. We must redouble our efforts to defend the values of freedom, democracy and tolerance, both in Ukraine and here in the Indo-Pacific.”

The UK has implemented the most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on a major economy to undermine Russia’s war effort. To date we have sanctioned over 1,500 individuals and entities, freezing more than £18 billion of assets in the UK, and sanctioned over £20 billion of UK-Russia goods trade.

In April, the latest step was to introduce a ban on all items that Russia has been found using on the battlefield to date. We will continue to work alongside the G7 to deny Russia access to any of our goods or technologies that it could use in its war machine.

The UK has already taken a lead on action on Russian diamonds, sanctioning the state-owned company Alrosa and hiking tariffs by an additional 35 percent.

Today’s announcement goes further. We will legislate later this year to ban imports of Russian diamonds, and end all imports of Russian-origin copper, aluminium and nickel, building on existing bans of Russian iron and steel.

Sanctions imposed on Russia by the UK and our G7 partners are having a clear and progressive impact in degrading Putin’s war effort. Moscow is cut off from Western financial markets and there is a sustained reduction in the country’s oil revenues. More than 60% of Putin’s ‘war chest’ of foreign reserves has been immobilised – worth £275 billion.

G7 action is starving Russia’s military of key Western components and technology, restricting its ability to fight a 21stcentury war against the Ukrainian people.

Thank you, President and I also thank Mr Ebo for his briefing.

449 days into the Russian Federation’s illegal and full-scale war. Russia continues to attack Ukrainian cities, hospitals and schools – its civilian infrastructure – killing and injuring innocent families in their homes or forcing them to flee. Eight million people are now displaced as a result of Russia’s attacks. Last night, for the ninth time this month, Russia rained down another barrage of missiles on Ukrainian cities with a blatant disregard for human life. Russia is deploying more and more powerful weapons.

Russia sources weapons for Putin’s illegal war from states such as Iran and DPRK in blatant violation of relevant Security Council resolutions. The UK calls on other states not to provide Russia with military assistance.

President, we have repeatedly urged Russia to end the war, withdraw and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, to cease attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, and withdraw its troops from Ukraine. Ukraine did not want or provoke this war.

The Ukrainian people want peace, but they face a choice between taking up arms in self-defence or annihilation. They have done so in accordance with the UN Charter. We, therefore, support Ukraine to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity in line with the UN Charter. We share Ukraine’s goal of securing peace in line with the UN Charter.

As my Prime Minister has made clear, we will continue to respond to Ukraine’s requests for the means to defend itself against Russian aggression.

Last week we announced the provision of storm shadow missiles to Ukraine.

We’ve also provided a range of air defence systems, including AMRAAM anti-aircraft missiles. These defensive weapons can defeat Russian cruise missiles to help Ukraine defend its skies and its people from Russia’s indiscriminate attacks.

The Russian delegate also mentioned use of depleted uranium. The British army has used depleted uranium in its armour-piercing shells for decades. It is a standard component and has nothing to do with nuclear weapons or capabilities. Russia knows this, but is deliberately trying to disinform. So I want to be in no doubt that we provide all our military support to Ukraine in accordance with international law and with robust measures in place to prevent its illicit transfer.

President, the cost of this war is felt around the world. Its impact on food and commodity prices is severe. We welcome the continuation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and call on Russia not to hold up the movement of ships under the deal as a pressure tactic.

As UN Member States, we want to focus on other priorities that the world desperately needs us to work together on, such as delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals. Instead, Russia’s war has made those goals harder to reach.

In conclusion, Madam President, I listened carefully to the Russian delegation. They are trying to persuade the world not to provide defensive support to Ukraine. The reason for this is blindingly obvious.

They want to overrun the Ukrainian military as they have tried and failed to do since February 2022. Why? Because they want to conquer a sovereign country and annex its territory. That is why the missiles are still falling on Kyiv.

Russia can end this war at any time by withdrawing its troops. Until then, we will help Ukraine defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and uphold the principles of the UN Charter.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President I’d like to thank the Special Representative for her very clear briefing and Ms Latif for her words about protecting the rights of women and girls. At the outset, Madam President, I would like to commend the continued work of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq. Over the past twenty years the Mission has played a vital role in supporting Iraq and the Iraqi people. We strongly support the renewal of the mandate of the Mission and welcome the opportunity for an independent strategic review to ensure the Mission is aligned to the current peace and security threats facing Iraq.

The UK remains committed to supporting the Iraqi Government and the implementation of its ambitious reform agenda. In particular, passing a budget will be a crucial step in delivering the Government’s priorities including on economic reform and energy diversification. We welcome the steps already taken to tackle corruption, to strengthen economic infrastructure and to begin the green energy transition.

We also commend the steps taken by the Iraqi Government to find durable solutions to address the displacement crisis in Iraq; to provide essential services and to support survivors of conflict, including those from minority communities. We continue to encourage further implementation of the Yazidi Survivors Law including through the timely distribution of reparations to survivors. And the UK will continue to work with the Iraqi Government to support accountability for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV) including so that the horrific crimes perpetrated by Da’esh are addressed and prosecuted effectively.

We thank the Special Representative for her update on the Kurdistan region and we urge the Kurdistan Regional Parliament and the Kurdistan Regional Government to take all necessary steps to ensure that the planned elections are able to take place in November without further postponement. It is incumbent on all parties to ensure an electoral process which adheres to international standards and upholds the rights of all citizens, including women and minorities, to participate in the democratic process.

We welcome the Special Representative’s update on missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and missing Kuwaiti property.

We commend Iraq’s focus on its regional relations and welcome the SRSG’s role in supporting regional dialogue. As we continue to see the adverse impacts of climate change, the Special Representative’s engagement on transboundary environmental issues is particularly valuable.

Once again, I’d like to renew the UK’s commitment to the stability and security of Iraq and to the essential role the Mission plays in support. We look forward to participating in further discussions on the renewal of the mandate in the coming days.

Thank you.