G7 interior ministers said on Friday that they intend to tackle the “hybrid threats” to security that have been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, from the risk of damage to critical infrastructure to the manipulation of information, AFP reported.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine “had a significant impact on the internal security of the G7 countries”, according to the final statement adopted by the interior ministers of the group of seven countries who met at an abbey in Eltwil (in the west), not far from Frankfurt.
The meeting took place the same week that a missile fell on Polish territory, killing two people and demonstrating the wide-ranging effects of the war.
The conflict has exacerbated what the G7 describes as “hybrid threats” from “state and non-state actors” that aim to sow “danger” and “division” among “partners and allies of the international community”, the statement said.
These threats are aimed particularly at critical infrastructure that needs to be “protected”, the G7 writes, referring to the alleged sabotage at the end of September on the Nord Stream gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea.
Therefore, it is “extremely important” to establish “national and international partnerships, including with the private sector, in order to become more sustainable.
Information manipulation / “Putin will not last!”
The manipulation of information is a “growing challenge for societies, governments and democratic institutions around the world,” the statement said.
But “Putin will not succeed!” – stated at the press conference the Minister of the Interior of Germany, Nancy Feser, the host of the summit.
“We will counter lies with facts. We will encourage cooperation in tracking disinformation networks,” she added.
More precisely, the minister stated his desire to “work more closely and networked” on this topic, citing France’s success in fact-checking with civil society as an example.
They also warned of new threats that may arise due to the presence of foreign fighters in Ukraine and increased arms circulation in the region.
“A small number of ‘volunteer fighters from Ukraine’ may pose an increased threat when they return,” they said.
G7 ministers pledged to work closely with Ukraine on a “strict arms control regime” to prevent the illicit trade in firearms and ammunition.
The “Big Seven” industrialized countries include Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Canada and the USA.
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