The Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies has called on China to support Ukrainian sovereignty and not help Russia, warning that Moscow's unprovoked war against Ukraine has threatened the globe by generating a severe food and energy crisis.
The G7 delivered the message on May 14 in a wide-ranging statement released at the end of three days of meetings in Germany.
In addition to asking China not to support Moscow amid the war, the group called on Beijing "to desist from engaging in information manipulation, disinformation and other means to legitimize Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”
The G7 also urged Russian ally Belarus to stop "enabling" Russia's war effort and to "abide by its international obligations."
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Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, the G7 said, has "generated one of the most severe food and energy crises in recent history which now threatens those most vulnerable across the globe.”
The group, which comprises the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, said urgent measures were needed to unblock stores of grain that Russia is preventing Ukraine from exporting, contributing to the food crisis.
An estimated 25 million tons of grain has been prevented from leaving ports in Ukraine, one of the worlds biggest grain exporters. The blockage is seen as particularly affecting countries in the Middle East and Africa.
The G7 foreign ministers in attendance at the meeting in Weissenhaus also vowed to reinforce Russia's economic and political isolation through sanctions, and said their countries would continue to provide defense and military aid to Kyiv for "as long as necessary."
The foreign ministers also addressed Russia's efforts to gain territory in Ukraine, including its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.
"We will never recognize borders Russia has attempted to change by military aggression, and will uphold our engagement in the support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea, and all states," they said.
The G7 ministers also signaled their readiness to provide Kyiv with weapons for many years into the future if necessary in its fight against Russian forces.
"We will pursue our ongoing military and defense assistance to Ukraine as long as necessary," the final statement read.
The group said that phasing out purchases of Russian oil and coal is key to the efforts to put pressure on Moscow to end the war.
"We will expedite our efforts to reduce and end reliance on Russian energy supplies and as quickly as possible," the statement said.
EU member states are expected to reach an agreement next week on ending the bloc's importation of Russian oil next week, despite opposition from EU member Hungary.