The Group of Seven (G7) wealthy Western nations has accused Russia of trying to "weaponize" its energy exports and pledged to work to ensure Moscow doesn't "exploit" its position as an energy producer "to profit from its aggression at the expense of vulnerable countries."
The G7 said in a statement released on August 2 that Russia has breached international law with its invasion of Ukraine and demanded that it "put an end to this war of choice, immediately, and unconditionally cease all hostilities."
"We further condemn Russian attempts to weaponize its energy exports and use energy as a tool of geopolitical coercion. Russia is therefore not a reliable energy supplier," the statement, released on the website of the U.K. government, said.
"We will act in solidarity and close coordination to mitigate the impact of supply disruptions on economies and citizens globally and in our countries, especially in order to protect vulnerable groups," it added.
In retaliation to Western sanctions, Russia has cut energy supplies to countries it has deemed "unfriendly," raising fears in many European nations that they will not have enough to get through the winter.
The statement said the G7 -- comprised of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Germany, Japan, and Italy -- will continue to explore further measures to prevent Russia from profiting from its war of aggression and to "curtail" Russia's ability to wage war.
It also pledged to phase out Russian energy usage from local markets and seek "to develop solutions that reduce Russian revenues from hydrocarbons, support stability in global energy markets, and minimize negative economic impacts, especially on low- and middle-income countries."
