The Group of Seven foreign ministers are set to condemn "in the strongest possible terms" the expanding military cooperation between Russia and North Korea at their meeting later this week, a diplomatic source said Tuesday.
The source cited a draft communique to be issued on the final day of the three-day talks from Wednesday on the Italian island of Capri, with the ministers also criticizing Iran for "dangerously increasing" regional tensions by providing arms and related material for pro-Iranian actors.
The G7 governments are making final arrangements toward adopting the document, taking into account the aftermath of Iran's missile and drone attacks on Israel over the weekend that have further intensified tensions in the Middle East, the source said.
The G7 foreign ministerial gathering comes as concerns grow that the alleged North Korean weapon transfers to Russia, in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, could help the Russian forces in its prolonged war in Ukraine that began in February 2022.
In the communique, the ministers will demand that North Korea's ballistic missile exports to Russia be immediately stopped, while reaffirming their "steadfast support" for Ukraine in a show of G7 unity, according to the source.
The G7 is expected to renew its commitment to strengthen Ukraine's cyber defenses, with the ministers warning that new technologies including artificial intelligence could be used as a "tool" to undermine democracy, the source said.
The draft document also underscores the negative impacts stemming from the Russian invasion, such as food insecurity in Africa and disruption of global energy supplies, according to the source.
As for China, the G7 nations will say that they are "seriously concerned" about the situation in the East and South China seas, the source said, in an apparent criticism of Beijing's maritime assertiveness.
Meanwhile, the ministers will call on China to maintain dialogue and work together with G7 members, seeing the Asian power as a "key interlocutor" in dealing with global challenges such as climate change, according to the source.
The statement will also stress the importance of an immediate cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and condemn the Palestinian militant group's surprise attack on Oct. 7, while refraining from directly criticizing Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, according to the source.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will take part in the upcoming G7 meeting to be chaired by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is also expected to join, according to the source.
The G7 comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and the European Union.
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