Speech

Prime Minister's remarks at the G7 press conference: 14 June 2024

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's remarks at the G7 press conference in Italy today [14 June 2024].

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government
The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP

Let me start by thanking Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Italian people for welcoming us to Puglia.

I鈥檝e come to this Summit to stand with our allies and friends鈥�

鈥s we protect the United Kingdom鈥檚 security, our prosperity, and our values.

And the stakes could聽hardly be higher.聽

The world today is more dangerous than it has been for decades.

War rages in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Conflict, climate change, and hunger has displaced more than 100 million people globally.聽

And new technologies like AI create new opportunities and significant new risks.聽

That鈥檚 why the UK has made a hard and fast pledge to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.

We鈥檙e taking unprecedented action to stop the boats and reduce migration.

And I鈥檓 pleased that the G7 has today committed to closer coordination on AI safety鈥�

鈥ollowing the UK鈥檚 lead at Bletchley Park.聽

Because the problems we face are global in nature 鈥� so we need global solutions.

And聽that鈥檚 what I鈥檝e been arguing for at this G7 Summit.

First, on migration.

Illegal migration is now a global emergency.

More people are moving across borders today than at any other time in history.

We cannot stand by and watch this human tragedy unfold.

The G7 has focused on dealing with the root causes of migration鈥�

鈥ncluding a new package of UK development assistance for Africa鈥�

鈥nd Italy鈥檚 new Apulia Food Systems initiative to tackle food insecurity.

We鈥檙e also doing more to聽combat聽the people traffickers鈥�

鈥ecause we all agree that it is for sovereign nations to control their聽borders, and not聽criminal gangs.

And the G7 has together launched a new coalition to counter people smuggling.

And聽I鈥檓 particularly pleased the G7 has agreed to work together鈥�

鈥o make sure the governance of migration is effective and sustainable.

The second area of G7 action is on China.

China鈥檚 assertiveness has only intensified since our last Summit in Hiroshima.

Their actions threaten to undermine the free and open Indo-Pacific.

They鈥檝e conducted cyber targeting of democratically elected British MPs.

And China is increasingly working together with other authoritarian states like Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

Around 80% of Russia鈥檚 battlefield components come from Chinese companies.聽

That鈥檚 why the UK has issued sanctions against Chinese entities interfering with our democracy.

It鈥檚 why we鈥檝e protected our technologies and supply chains through the National Security Investment Act.

And it鈥檚 why we鈥檒l always act in concert with allies to deter China鈥檚 most aggressive actions, and protect our economic security.

But we need to keep the pressure on.

The UK and others have already sanctioned Chinese entities for facilitating Russia鈥檚 defence industry.

The G7 has now agreed with that principle.聽

So the message is clear:

If you prop up Russia鈥檚 war economy, prolonging this illegal war, you will pay a price.聽

And that leads to my third point: the G7鈥檚 complete and total unity with Ukraine.

Ukraine鈥檚 security is our security.聽

We are in this for the long term. Putin will not outlast us.

The UK has committed 拢3bn of military aid every year to the end of the decade.聽

We鈥檙e dialling up the economic pressure on Russia with 50 new sanctions this week alone.聽

And we鈥檝e just announced over 拢240m for reconstruction.

But as I鈥檝e long argued, Russia itself must pay for the destruction it caused.

And now, Russia聽will聽pay.聽

Because at this Summit, the G7 has reached a historic breakthrough.

After months of intensive discussions, we鈥檝e agreed a new loan for Ukraine worth $50bn.

And it will be repaid not by our taxpayers, but by the extraordinary revenues鈥�

鈥hat come from frozen Russian assets, in Europe and around the world.

This is just聽and it is right.聽

But true justice will only come when Russia leaves Ukraine.

Tomorrow I will be travelling to the Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland.

Our goal is peace.

But let us not confuse peace with surrender.

Putin鈥檚 Russia is the aggressor.聽

They brought war to a peaceful continent.

Wreaked death and devastation on the people of Ukraine.

Caused famine and hardship around the world.

So peace must be based on international law and the UN charter. And it must be on Ukraine鈥檚 terms.聽

That is what justice looks like.聽

That is what we must work towards.

That is how we secure a future for Ukraine that is peaceful, democratic, and free.

And we, the G7, will stand united with Ukraine until that day comes.

Thank you.

Updates to this page

Published 14 June 2024