Special G7 Meeting to Discuss Syrian Crisis and Potential Intensification of Sanctions Against Russia

The G7 foreign ministers' meeting began on Monday in Italy, with the recent developments in Syria expected to be the focus of a special session on Tuesday. It is also likely that the UK will propose new sanctions regarding Russia's support for the Assad government to the G7. According to reports, the meeting of G7 foreign ministers on Monday is a regular session, but Italian newspapers report that their meeting on Tuesday morning will be dedicated to discussing the situation in Syria. It has been reported that, in addition to the foreign ministers of the G7 countries, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Jordan are also expected to participate in the special meeting on Tuesday. The G7 includes advanced industrial countries such as the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Japan, and Italy. Russia was a member of a larger group called the G8 for several years but was expelled from this group in 2014 after the annexation of Crimea. International news agencies reported, citing the Italian foreign minister, that the special session to discuss the situation in Syria aims to 'prevent the escalation of military conflicts' in the country. On the morning of Friday, April 7, the USA launched a missile attack on a Syrian regime airbase in response to a chemical attack the previous week in Khan Shaykhun that resulted in the deaths of 70 civilians, including many children. The USA and its allies hold the Syrian government responsible for this chemical attack, and media reports emphasize the existence of 'increasing evidence' supporting this claim, although both the Syrian government and its main supporters, Russia and Iran, deny the involvement of the Syrian army in this attack. Meanwhile, it is expected that during the Tuesday meeting, Mr. Tillerson's counterparts will ask him to clarify the USA's policy regarding the Syrian crisis. Donald Trump had stated during his election campaign that his administration would intervene less in the Syrian crisis compared to Barack Obama and would generally reduce emphasis on human rights violations worldwide. However, Mr. Trump, who tasked the US Department of Defense with developing plans to defeat ISIS in one of his first executive orders, recently described the previous week's chemical attack as a horrific act against civilians and personally ordered the missile strike on the Shayrat airbase. Despite many of America's allies supporting the missile strike on Syria, they are uncertain whether this action signifies a complete shift in the current US administration's policies regarding the Syrian crisis and whether Washington now considers the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power a priority for establishing peace in the country. Reuters reported on Sunday, citing a senior European diplomat who preferred to remain unnamed, that 'the Americans say they agree with this issue, but in practice, they do nothing to show their agreement. They are completely absent in this regard, and their policy is like aimless movement in the dark.' Meanwhile, criticism of Russia has intensified in recent days due to its continued support for Bashar al-Assad's government, and US officials have repeatedly criticized Russia for continuing its support for the Syrian government and for its negligence in preventing the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian army. In line with these criticisms, the Sunday Times reported that if Russia does not reduce its support for Bashar al-Assad, the UK government will propose new sanctions against Moscow. According to the Times, Boris Johnson, the UK foreign secretary, will ask G7 member countries to issue a joint statement declaring that Russia must end its support for the Assad regime, withdraw its forces from Syria, and allow aid groups and humanitarian organizations to return to war zones. According to this newspaper's report, if Vladimir Putin opposes this, new sanctions against Russia should be imposed to make conditions 'very difficult' for government officials and affiliates in that country. After the G7 foreign ministers' meeting, the US Secretary of State is expected to travel to Moscow for negotiations with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Russia and Iran are the main supporters of Bashar al-Assad's regime, while the USA and some Western countries, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and several Gulf Arab countries support various groups fighting against the Assad regime.