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German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil expressed hope that the G7 will issue a joint communique supporting Ukraine, despite tensions with the US over wording related to the conflict with Russia. Talks also continue on trade issues and sanctions.
German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said he was optimistic that the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies would agree on a joint communique expressing support for Ukraine, despite differences with the US over the wording related to the ongoing conflict involving Russia.
Earlier reports indicated uncertainty about whether G7 finance ministers meeting in Canada could agree on language, with some US officials reportedly seeking to remove terms describing Russia’s military actions in Ukraine as “illegal.”
Speaking at a press conference in Banff, Klingbeil said, “I am very positive that we will also reach a joint communique.” He added that if no progress is made toward negotiations, further sanctions could be considered.
The EU and UK recently announced new sanctions against Russia without waiting for the US to join, following a call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that did not lead to a ceasefire or new US sanctions. European leaders have urged the Trump administration to participate in imposing new measures if diplomatic efforts stall.
Klingbeil noted that G7 finance ministers, along with their Ukrainian counterpart, described the conflict as a “brutal war” and emphasized continued support for Ukraine.
“I am optimistic that such wording will be included in the communique, but please wait for the exact text,” Klingbeil said, deferring to the Canadian presidency managing the final statement.
On trade, Klingbeil met with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and agreed to hold further talks in Washington. He said, “We have always discussed forward, how we can take steps together to find solutions.”
However, Klingbeil warned that if no agreement is reached with the US on tariffs, market turbulence could quickly return. The Trump administration currently applies tariffs of 25% on steel, aluminum, and cars, along with a baseline 10% tariff on most imports, and has threatened additional tariffs if negotiations fail.
The S&P 500 edged to a record closing high on Tuesday, marking its fifth consecutive day of gains, as strong advances in technology stocks offset a sharp selloff in healthcare shares and a mixed batch of corporate earnings.
Residents in Syria’s Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli have stepped up volunteer patrols amid growing pressure from the country’s Islamist-led government, expressing deep mistrust of Damascus despite a fragile U.S.-backed ceasefire.
Liverpool confirmed direct qualification to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 with a 6-0 win over Qarabağ at Anfield in their final league-phase match. Despite the setback, Qarabağ secured a play-off spot, with results elsewhere going in the Azerbaijani champions’ favour on the final matchday.
Iraq's former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said on Wednesday that he rejects U.S. interference in Iraq's internal affairs, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to cut off support to the country if Maliki was picked as prime minister.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa stressed to U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call on Tuesday the importance of unifying international efforts to prevent the return of "terrorist groups", including Islamic State.
“For some weeks now, we have been seeing with increasing clarity the emergence of a world of great powers,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday (29 January), declaring that Europe had found “self-respect” in standing up for a rules-based global order.
Colombian authorities on Wednesday (28 January) located a missing plane carrying 15 people in the northeast of the country, with no survivors found, an Air Force source and local media said.
Chinese authorities say they've carried out capital punishment against a group of individuals tied to notorious telecommunications fraud syndicates operating across the southern border, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party is likely to increase its number of parliamentary seats and gain a majority in the lower house, a preliminary survey by the Nikkei newspaper showed on Thursday (29 January).
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 29th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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