G-7,EU,NATO holds emergency meeting on Russia Ukraine Conflict

Tags: International News

In an unprecedented move the Western countries leader held an extraordinary summit meeting in  Brussels, Belgium on 24 March 2022 to put pressure on the Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. 

• The Group of 7 or G-7 ,European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO ) was held  back to back on 24 March 2022.

• The three back to back summit meeting which was attended by the President of Joe Biden is an attempt by the western countries to show solidarity to Ukraine and to present a united stand against Russia.

Highlights of the meeting 

• NATO leaders agreed to help Ukraine protect itself against any chemical, biological or nuclear attacks by Russia.

• NATO, which has already increased its troop deployment to 40,000 along the eastern border of Russia from the Baltic to the Black Sea, has agreed to set up new combat units in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.

• The alliance also warned China not to support Russia’s war effort or to take any actions that will help Russia circumvent the western sanctions on Russia.

• NATO turned down Ukrainian requests to defend Ukraine's skies by imposing a no-fly zone and said again, it will not send troops to Ukraine for fear of being dragged into a full-on military confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia.

EU Meeting 

• At the European Union summit meeting ,the United States promised to supply the EU with 15 billion cubic metres more of liquefied natural gas this year than had been planned before so as to curb the European bloc's reliance on Russian gas.

• Russia supplies 40% of the EU's gas needs and more than a quarter of its oil imports. Those most dependent on this supply - in particular Germany - are reluctant to take a step that would have a major economic impact.

President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy also addressed the leaders via videoconference.

 Russia does not want Ukraine to become a member of either the European Union or NATO. It fears if Ukraine joins these western blocs then the security of Russia will be compromised. 

Important for Exam 

European Union 

• It is a political and Economic group of 27 European countries .

• The European Economic Community was  launched in 1957 and it  became the European Union in 1993 with the adoption of the Maastricht Treaty. 

• Member countries of EU : Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Headquarters of the European Union : Brussels 

G-7 or Group of Seven countries

The G7 (Group of Seven) is an organisation of the world's seven largest advanced economies, which dominate global trade and the international financial system. 

• They are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

• Russia joined in 1998, creating the G8, but was excluded in 2014  for its annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine .

•  It has no permanent secretariat .

• The 2021 summit meeting was held in  England 

• The 2022 summit meeting will be held in Germany .