PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with G7 leaders [December 2022]

The Prime Minister attended a virtual meeting of G7 leaders this afternoon.

The leaders paid tribute to the resolve of the G7 this year, and the group’s unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes.

The Prime Minister said it was clear Putin was realising he could no longer win on the battlefield and was now resorting to cynical tactics, including barbaric attacks on critical national infrastructure.

Negotiations while the Kremlin inflicted such harm on the Ukrainian people was unimaginable, and Putin needed to withdraw his forces before genuine peace discussions could happen, the Prime Minister said, adding that any political strategy had to follow the battlefield reality.

He called on G7 partners to combine their efforts and match their support to Ukraine in 2023. Remaining aligned politically, economically, and militarily was the only way to be sure Putin felt the cost of his actions, the Prime Minister reflected.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to Chancellor Scholz’s leadership of the G7 this year, and welcomed Prime Minister Kishida to the role of President in 2023, including his focus on Ukraine, and shared economic challenges, such as China.