On April 27, 2023, deputies of the Group of Seven (G7) Enforcement Coordination Mechanism met to discuss the need to increase enforcement of multilateral sanctions and export controls implemented since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 in order to deny Russia access to the materials it requires to equip its military and the revenue necessary to fund its illegal war.
G7 is an intergovernmental organization consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; Russia has been suspended from the group. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the G7 leaders have closely coordinated multilateral sanctions and export restrictions measures on Russia and entities that continue to support its aggression. In the last G7 leaders meeting in December 2022, the leaders released a statement reaffirming their “unwavering support for and solidarity with Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian war of aggression for as long as it takes.” In addition to continuing commitment to supporting Ukraine, the leaders made clear that their countries “remain committed to our unprecedented coordinated sanctions measures in response to Russia’s war of aggression. We will maintain and intensify economic pressure on Russia and those who evade and undermine our restrictive measures.”
The April 27 meeting of deputies was intended to examine current trends in Russia’s efforts to evade G7 export controls and sanctions, with a particular focus on transshipment jurisdictions and third countries. Deputies identified shared enforcement priorities and reiterated their shared commitment “to engage with, and take action against, third-country actors that are supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine.” Deputies also reportedly discussed key components that Russia is attempting to acquire to fuel its war machine and to replace the losses in materiel it has sustained on the battlefield.
On a related matter, from April 23-26, 2023, officials from the U.S. Departments of Commerce and the Treasury travelled to Kazakhstan for discussions on efforts in that country to counter the evasion of sanctions and export controls imposed on Russia.