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G7, sanctions, and Zelenskiy
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski stated on Tuesday (16) that G7 leaders discussed new sanctions against Russia during a summit in France to bring Moscow to the negotiating table to end the invasion of Ukraine.
Zelenski said Moscow will face a very difficult winter if a peace agreement is not reached before then, and he also said Trump responded very positively to his request to increase the supply of air defense missiles to Ukraine.
Trump told reporters, "Very soon we will be able to do that because the oil is already flowing again," when asked whether he would reimpose sanctions on Russia that had been eased to help lower oil prices.
The Folha de S.Paulo account also said European diplomats hoped to convince the president that previous US positions on possible terms of an agreement were excessively favorable to Moscow, and it quoted Ursula von der Leyen writing on X: "The tide is turning in favor of Ukraine."
Trump threatens oil sanctions
At the G7 summit, France 24 described Trump putting the onus on Vladimir Putin to come to the bargaining table and suggesting a rapid return to full sanctions on Russian oil in the French Alps resort of Evian.
France 24 also tied the shift to a Moscow area refinery hit by a long-range drone, describing it as an illustration of Kyiv’s growing capacity to cripple Russia’s oil and gas exports with long-range drones and now missiles.
In the same Evian setting, Sentinel Colorado reported that Zelenskyy said, "The entire 'Seven' supports Ukraine unanimously today," while Trump said, "Soon we’ll be able to do that because the oil is now flowing."
Sentinel Colorado added that Zelenskyy said Russia was failing to show any serious activity toward peace and called Russia’s actions "a game," as leaders discussed how to increase production by licensing production for Patriot missiles.
Pressure, missiles, and winter
La Croix reported that G7 leaders were said to agree to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions on hydrocarbons and to support momentum in favor of Kyiv by providing Ukraine with air-defense capabilities, better protections, and means to consolidate gains.
La Croix also said Canada’s Mark Carney announced additional sanctions targeting more than 160 entities linked to the ghost fleet, and it quoted Carney saying, "Canada today announces a new round of sanctions targeting more than 160 entities".
Turkey Today said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced 70 new sanctions measures targeting Russia’s shadow fleet, military procurement networks and financial channels used to evade existing restrictions, and it quoted Starmer: "Working with our G7 allies, we will continue to increase the pressure on Putin".
In the same account, Zelenskyy urged a "decisive and substantive" response from the G7 after Russian missile and drone attacks early Monday killed at least 11 people across Ukraine and caused a fire at an important Orthodox monastery in Kyiv, while he also said Monday he had proposed meeting Vladimir Putin during the G7 summit but Moscow was "not ready" for such talks.
