- Title: WRAP: G7 pledges swift aid for Ukraine, seeks to calm Middle East
- Date: 19th April 2024
- Summary: 6186-ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/IRAN-BLINKEN CAPRI, ITALY (APRIL 19, 2024) (REUTERS) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, ANTONY BLINKEN WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, ANTONY BLINKEN, SAYING: “First, the G7 condemned the unprecedented Iranian attack on Israel, unprecedented in scope and scale. Scope because it was a direct attack on Israel from Iran. Scale because it involved more than 300 munitions, including ballistic missiles. We're committed to Israel's security. We're also committed to de-escalating.” PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, ANTONY BLINKEN, SAYING: “The United States has not been involved in any offensive operations. What we're focused on, what the G7 is focused on, and again it's reflected in our statement and in our conversation, is our work to de-escalate tensions." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, ANTONY BLINKEN, SAYING: “The only thing, the only thing standing between the Gazan people and a ceasefire is Hamas. It has rejected generous proposals from Israel. It seems more interested in a regional conflict than it is in a ceasefire that would immediately improve the lives of the Palestinian people." 6188-G7-ITALY/FOREIGN-ISRAEL-IRAN CAPRI, ITALY (APRIL 19, 2024) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ANTONIO TAJANI ARRIVING FOR PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ANTONIO TAJANI, SAYING: ''I immediately wanted there to be a clear message from the entire G7. The political objective of the G7 is called de-escalation. We have been working, we are working and we will continue to work, to be active players for de-escalation in the whole Middle East area.'' 6386-UKRAINE-CRISIS/G7-MINISTER CAPRI, ITALY (APRIL 19, 2024) (REUTERS) UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, DMYTRO KULEBA, WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, DMYTRO KULEBA, SAYING: "The future of Europe is being decided in Ukraine. The future of the Middle East is being decided in Israel. And the future of the world order is being decided in both of these places. The West has the capacity to be efficient in all crises." I think the narrative that the West has to choose between supporting Israel or Ukraine is wrong because these are two theatres of the same war." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, DMYTRO KULEBA, SAYING: "I think the narrative that the West has to choose between supporting Israel or Ukraine is wrong because these are two theatres of the same war." 6187-UKRAINE-CRISIS/USA-RUSSIA-CHINA CAPRI, ITALY (APRIL 19, 2024) (REUTERS) U.S SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN LISTENING TO QUESTION DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S SECRETARY OF STATE, ANTONY BLINKEN, SAYING: "When it comes to Russia's defence industrial base, the primary contributor at this moment to that is China. We see China sharing machine tools, semiconductors, and other dual-use items that have helped Russia rebuild the defence industrial base that sanctions and export controls had done so much to degrade." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S SECRETARY OF STATE, ANTONY BLINKEN, SAYING: "If China purports on the one hand to want good relations with Europe and other countries, it can't, on the other hand, be fuelling what is the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War. And you don't have to just take that for me. This is what I heard around the table at the G7." 6367-G7-ITALY/FOREIGN BAERBOCK CAPRI, ITALY (APRIL 19, 2024) (REUTERS) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANNALENA BAERBOCK GREETING BLINKEN (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ANNALENA BAERBOCK, SAYING: "If China is forging an ever closer partnership with Russia, which is waging a war of aggression in Ukraine in violation of international law, in front of everyone's eyes, then we cannot accept this." 6188-G7-ITALY/FOREIGN-ISRAEL-IRAN CAPRI, ITALY (APRIL 19, 2024) (REUTERS) MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ANTONIO TAJANI, SAYING: ''We ask China, and this is also written in the document, not to supply dual-use material to the Russian Federation. So it is a clear message, because you can say they are not weapons, but they are dual-use material. Again, we gave a very clear and obvious message there, because China can do a lot to stop Russia's war against Ukraine.'' 6515-UKRAINE-CRISIS/NATO-PRESSER BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (APRIL 19, 2024) (REUTERS) NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG ARRIVING FOR PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL, JENS STOLTENBERG, SAYING: "NATO defence ministers have agreed to step up and provide further military support, including more air defense. NATO has mapped out existing capabilities across the lines and there are systems that can be made available to Ukraine." MEDIA
- Embargoed: 3rd May 2024 17:39
- Keywords: Air Defence Air Defense BLINKEN Capri EU G7 Gaza Iran Israel Italy NATO Palestinians Patriot Summit Ukraine
- Location: CAPRI AND NAPLES, ITALY / BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- City: CAPRI AND NAPLES, ITALY / BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002643619042024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT IS A WRAP AND CONTAINS NO NEW MATERIAL
Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers, comprising the United States, Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Britain, wrapped up three days of talks on the island of Capri on Friday (April 19), that were dominated by wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The foreign ministers' summit ended shortly after what sources described as an Israeli attack on Iran in retaliation for a recent Iranian drone and missile assault on Israel.
The G7 ministers said they would work to prevent conflict between Israel and Iran spiralling out of control, while simultaneously seeking to end the war in Gaza.
They also acknowledged they had to do more to help Ukraine, which is struggling to hold off stronger Russian forces.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that, while North Korea and Iran were the main suppliers of weapons to Russia, China was the "primary contributor" to Moscow's defence industry.
Echoing that sentiment, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told reporters that Berlin could not tolerate seeing China forging closer ties with Russia.
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