G7 countries committed Friday to support Ukraine “for as long as it takes”, according to a draft statement from a summit where they agreed a new $50 billion loan for Kyiv.
“We are standing in solidarity to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom and its reconstruction for as long as it takes,” said the draft from the Italy talks, seen by news agency AFP.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised Friday to “immediately” order a cease-fire in Ukraine and begin negotiations if Kyiv started withdrawing troops from the four regions annexed by Moscow in 2022 and renounced plans to join NATO.
Such a deal appears a nonstarter for Kyiv, which wants to join the military alliance and has demanded that Russia withdraw its troops from all of its territory. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on Putin’s proposal.
“We will do it immediately,” Putin said in a speech at the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow.
(With inputs from AFP and AP)
