The G7 foreign ministers, which brings together the seven richest countries on the planet today, said the G7 will “never recognize” the borders Russia wants to impose by force in its war in Ukraine.

“We will never recognize the borders that Russia is trying to change with its military intervention,” the ministers said after the meeting in Wangels, northern Germany.

“We will continue our commitment to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea,” the statement said.

German diplomat Annalena Baerbock, whose country took over the G7 presidency this year, insisted that Ukraine “decide on its own” because it “is its own land”.

At the press conference held at the end of the meeting, he said, “We will support the measures (…) that Ukraine will take to guarantee freedom and peace in the country.”

The G7 statement was issued at a time when fighting was intensifying in the Donbass (east) region, which has been partly controlled by pro-Moscow separatists since 2014 and where Russia has been intensifying the offensive for several weeks, but has made no significant progress.

The Ministers once again called on Russia to “end the war that started without provocation (by Ukraine) and the tragic suffering and loss of human life it continues to provoke.”

They also urged Belarus to “stop facilitating Russian interference and respect its international commitments”.

Seven countries (Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom) also condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “irresponsible threats to the use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.”

The G7 promised to “extend economic sanctions” against Moscow for its occupation of Ukrainian territory “to sectors on which Russia is particularly dependent”, and urged the Chinese government not to “damage” punitive measures.

“We encourage China not to assist Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine, to undermine sanctions for Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, not to justify Russia’s action in Ukraine, and to avoid information manipulation, disinformation and other activities. “We call on you to give up. Measures to legitimize Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”