Zelensky thanked the G7 for allocating 46 million euros

The summit of the group of seven richest countries in the world (G7) provided clear support to Ukraine with a package worth 50 billion dollars (46.3 billion euros), Ukrainian Vladimir Zelensky said this Thursday on the social network.

“The G7 summit. Unambiguous support for Ukraine, international law and a just world,” said the Ukrainian leader, publishing a photo with world leaders during the meeting, which is taking place in Italy.

“Every day we strengthen our position and our defense of life,” he said.

The $50 billion (€46.3 billion) support package will be financed by interest on frozen Russian assets.

“Every meeting serves the purpose of giving Ukraine new opportunities for victory. I am grateful to all our partners,” Zelensky added.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose country holds the G7 presidency, confirmed the agreement.

“I confirm that we have reached a political agreement to provide additional financial support to Ukraine,” Meloni said in an official statement following the first day of the meeting of G7 leaders (Germany, Canada, USA, France). , Italy, Japan and the UK, as well as the European Union).

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in turn, considered that this support is a “strong signal to Ukraine” in the conflict with Russia.

“We will support Kyiv in its struggle for freedom as long as necessary,” the European official promised, emphasizing that this measure represents a position towards Moscow.

“This is also a strong signal for [Presidente russo, Vladimir] Putin: he cannot win,” he added, recalling that in addition to this amount there is “50 billion euros of assistance from the European Union (EU) and 60 billion euros of assistance from the United States.”

Also present at the G7 meeting, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called this decision “historic” and “a clear signal to the Russian President” about the EU’s commitment.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the US, EU and their allies blocked €260 billion of Russian central bank funds around the world, much of it held in European financial institutions.

Faced with Ukraine’s growing financial needs, the G7 argues that the country’s reconstruction and arms purchases, among other needs, could be financed by profits made on Russian assets while they are immobilized in various banks.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also praised the agreement, but said specific funds for military support were needed.

“NATO is proposing a minimum financial commitment of 40 billion euros per year, focused solely on military support, which will allow us to maintain the level of mutual support that we have provided so far,” Stoltenberg said, adding that the decision would provide “predictability.” . and greater responsibility,” since there were cases where allies made commitments and then did not fulfill them.

According to Stoltenberg, if NATO makes this type of contribution, it will be possible to “measure, evaluate and compare” different types of support.

To this end, he proposed that countries base their contributions on their gross domestic product (GDP), with the United States guaranteeing 50% (representing 50% of the combined GDP of NATO countries) and Canada and its European allies the remaining 50%.

The goal, the spokesman stressed, is “to avoid what we have seen in recent months, with serious delays in the delivery of military support, which has created serious problems for Ukrainians on the battlefield.”

Stoltenberg also said he hoped allies would approve Friday of NATO’s plan to further centralize the management of military aid and training for Ukrainian soldiers.