6/27/22, 4:27 PM Zelensky asks G7 leaders for better air defences and tougher sanctions on Russia | CBC News

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Zelensky asks G7 leaders for better air defences and tougher

sanctions on Russia

Trudeau discussed 'ramping up pressure on Russia' with Ukrainian leader on Sunday

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Jun 27, 2022 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: 11 hours ago

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, pictured on Friday virtually addressing the crowd at the Glastonbury
Festival in Britain, spoke to G7 leaders on Monday. (Dylan Martinez/Reuters)

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6/27/22, 4:27 PM Zelensky asks G7 leaders for better air defences and tougher sanctions on Russia | CBC News

The ongoing war in Ukraine moved from being a distant, abstract conflict to something more
tangible for the leaders of the world's seven wealthiest democracies on Monday with an
address by the embattled country's president.

Volodymyr Zelensky told G7 leaders that despite their efforts to arm his country and to isolate
the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin, more needs to be done — and fast.

He asked for better, more modern air defence systems, more sanctions on Russia and security
guarantees, according to European officials.

Ukraine also wants help unblocking its ports for grain shipments, and Zelensky reportedly said
he wants the war with Russia to end before the onset of winter.

For German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz — who is hosting the summit — propping up the sinking
Ukrainian economy is also another consideration.

"We are discussing all of the topics on the agenda, especially in staying united in supporting
Ukraine against Russia aggression and we understood that the policies of all of our countries
are very much aligned," Scholtz said coming out of a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau.

Prior to speaking with G7 leaders, Zelensky emphasized, in his nightly address to his own
people, that Ukraine needs an advanced air defence system — a point brutally underlined by
the dozens of airstrikes on Kyiv and other major cities across the country over the weekend.

"We talk about this every day with our partners," Zelensky said. "There are already some
agreements, and partners need to move faster if they are really partners, not observers."

Early Monday, The Associated Press reported that the U.S. was preparing to announce the
purchase of an advanced surface-to-air missile system for Kyiv. 

Sanctions 'not enough,' Zelensky says

Even though allies moved swiftly to impose an unprecedented range of sanctions, Russia's
economy has proven resilient, mostly because countries — including India — have stepped up
to buy discounted oil from Moscow.

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6/27/22, 4:27 PM Zelensky asks G7 leaders for better air defences and tougher sanctions on Russia | CBC News

"This confirms that sanctions packages against Russia are not enough, that Ukraine needs
more armed assistance, and that air defence systems — the modern systems that our partners
have — should be not in training areas or storage facilities, but in Ukraine, where they are now
needed," Zelensky said in his nightly address.

One of the people listening to his address on the margins of the G7 on Monday was Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one of the global leaders who has not spoken up forcefully
about the invasion.

ANALYSIS Canada can now seize, sell off Russian assets. What's next?

Ukraine and staying united top of mind as G7 leaders gather in Germany

Modern weapons, Zelensky said, are needed in Ukraine more than anywhere else in the world.

Ukraine has taken delivery of a handful of rocket-based artillery from the United States and
Britain, with promises of additional systems from Germany. 

It has fielded 155-millimetre towed howitzers from the U.S., Canada and other allies, but
Ukrainian defence officials and some in Zelensky's office are asking for more and better
systems, including 500 tanks.

Trudeau, Zelensky spoke on Sunday

Trudeau held what was described as impromptu call with Zelensky on Sunday, ahead of the
Ukrainian leader's address, where they spoke about "ramping up pressure on Russia,"
according to a readout of the call provided by senior Canadian officials.

In his nightly address, Zelensky talked about the call.

"I spoke about this today with Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau — how else we can
strengthen defence support for Ukraine and how else we can increase the pressure of
sanctions on Russia. I thanked Justin for the help already provided — one of the most tangible,"
he said.

Trudeau filled in Zelensky on the kind of discussions that went on at the Commonwealth
Summit late last week, where Canada and Britain tried to convince reluctant members of the

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6/27/22, 4:27 PM Zelensky asks G7 leaders for better air defences and tougher sanctions on Russia | CBC News

organization of mostly former British colonies to get more firmly behind Ukraine and to
condemn Russia.

Russian missiles hit Kyiv region ahead of NATO summit to discuss Ukraine

Russia is 'weaponizing' food, Joly tells Commonwealth partners as meeting ends

without formal rebuke of Moscow

The Commonwealth's final communiqué did not contain a full-throated denunciation of

Moscow's invasion, although it did "note" the United Nations resolution from March that took
Russia to task. 

WATCH | G7 gather in Germany with aim to help Ukraine: 

G7 leaders focus on helping Ukraine, punishing Russia

21 hours ago | 2:12

Help for Ukraine was a major topic of the G7 meeting in Germany, with leaders pledging financial support.
The group also discussed how to punish Russia for the invasion without further damaging other economies.

G7 leaders are also set over the next day or so to formally announce an agreement to pursue a
price cap on Russian oil, raise tariffs on Russian goods and impose new sanctions on hundreds
of officials and entities supporting the four-month-long war.

G7 leaders announce global infrastructure project

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6/27/22, 4:27 PM Zelensky asks G7 leaders for better air defences and tougher sanctions on Russia | CBC News

The war in Ukraine has consumed a lot of political oxygen and time for the G7 leaders, who
appeared at times to be struggling to put other initiatives in the spotlight.

The U.S. launched on Sunday what is known as the Partnership for Global Infrastructure, a
multibillion-dollar program meant to help low-income countries build roads, bridges and
airports to improve their economies. It's meant to be a rival  to China's so-called Belt and Road
initiative. 

Beijing's colossal infrastructure investment is said by its supporters as having the possibility of
ushering in a new era of trade and growth for economies in Asia and beyond. But skeptics
believe that China is laying a debt trap for borrowing governments.

G7 leaders pose for a photo on Sunday. Left to right: Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi; Canadian Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau; French President Emmanuel Macron; German Chancellor Olaf Scholz; U.S. President
Joe Biden; British Prime Minister Boris Johnson; and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. (Paul
Chiasson/The Canadian Press)

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"Let communities around the world see themselves and see for themselves the concrete
benefits of partnering with democracies," U.S. President Joe Biden said after announcing the
plan.

"Because when democracies demonstrate what we can do, all that we have to offer, I have no
doubt that we'll win the competition every time."

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