Joe Biden Condemns Russia's "Cruel" Missile Attack at Ukraine Shopping Mall

(Photo : Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
President Joe Biden slams Russia’s latest attack in Ukraine during a meeting with G7 leaders, working together against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

President Joe Biden blasted Russia's attack on Kyiv on Sunday as "barbarism," as he attempted to rally Western leaders against Vladimir Putin.

"It's more of their barbarism," he declared at Schloss Elmau's ceremonial welcoming ceremony for G7 leaders. On Sunday, as G7 leaders convened for a meeting overshadowed by the crisis in Ukraine and its impact on food and energy supplies, as well as the global economy, Biden urged allies that "we have to stick united" against Russia.

At the start of the summit in the Bavarian Alps, four of the Group of Seven wealthy nations voted to restrict Russian gold imports, tightening the sanctions grip on Moscow and cutting off its sources of funding for the invasion of Ukraine.

Biden, Other G7 Leaders Condemn Latest Russian Attack in Ukraine

It was unclear whether the plan received G7 backing, with European Council President Charles Michel suggesting that the matter would need to be handled cautiously and further investigated.

Russia's attack on civilians at a shopping mall is cruel. We stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

As demonstrated at the G7 Summit, the U.S. along with our allies and partners will continue to hold Russia accountable for such atrocities and support Ukraine’s defense.
— President Biden (@POTUS) June 27, 2022

According to the British government, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, and Canada have agreed to a freeze on new Russian gold imports. According to Britain, the ban is aimed at wealthy Russians who have been buying safe-haven bullion to offset the financial impact of Western sanctions. Russian gold exports totaled $15.5 billion last year.

As per a German government source, the G7 leaders of the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada were also conducting "extremely excellent" negotiations on a possible Russian oil price cap.

Paris would press for an oil and gas price ceiling and is willing to discuss a US proposal. The G7 leaders did agree on a vow to generate $600 billion in private and public financing for poor nations to counter China's expanding influence and mitigate the effects of rising food and energy costs, NDTV reported.

Biden Will Increase US Troops in Poland

Biden intends to announce the continuation of part of the expanded US troop presence in Poland, as well as modifications to US deployments in other Baltic states that he approved before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Changes to the US troop presence may have an impact on nations such as Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Officials indicated the number of fresh troops deployed to the region permanently would be limited, but several hundred might remain in Poland permanently, according to Reuters via MSN.

On Sunday, Biden opened his first day at the G7 conference by complimenting German Chancellor Angela Merkel and assuring coalition solidarity against the invasion of Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine will dominate the conference as G7 leaders assess the effectiveness of sanctions. They will also debate the world's deteriorating economic situation.

Scholz was waiting for Biden on the decking at a pavilion with breathtaking Alpine views. Before sitting down to discuss the day's agenda, the two leaders took the time to take in the surroundings.

The president will spend the day meeting with the leaders of the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the European Union in both official and informal settings. Russia and its conflict in Ukraine will be at the top of the agenda, according to a senior administration official.

Biden will also use his time later this week at the G7 and the NATO meeting to keep Western allies united on Russian sanctions. The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan have imposed additional sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin to financially isolate him.

The nations have banned importing Russian gold, the country's second-largest source of revenue after oil. The West has already slapped restrictions on Russian energy, luxury goods, and other products. However, doubts remain about the efficacy of such financial penalties, as per Daily Mail.