G7 Holds Urgent Call On The "Most Significant Challenge To Russian State In Recent Times"

The international response to fast-moving events centered on the Wagner rebellion in Russia is coming in...

"Secretary of State Tony Blinken held a secure conference call this morning with several Western foreign ministers to consult about the escalating situation in Russia," Axios is reporting based on its sources. The call is being described as an urgent consultation of G-7 ministers.

The Axios source identified that on the call with Blinken were the foreign ministers of France, Germany, the U.K., Italy, Canada and the European Union

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote in a subsequent tweet: "Had a call with G7 Foreign Ministers to exchange views on the situation in Russia. Ahead of Monday’s EU Foreign Affairs Council, I am coordinating inside the European Union and have activated the crisis response center." He added: "Our support to Ukraine continues unabated."

"Blinken reiterated that support by the United States for Ukraine will not change," the State Department said. "The United States will stay in close coordination with Allies and partners as the situation continues to develop."

The White House has also said it is "monitoring the situation in Russia and will be consulting with allies and partners on these developments.”

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is urging both sides - the Kremlin and Wagner mercenaries - to "be responsible and to protect civilians." He confirmed to BBC that his government is "keeping a close eye on the situation as it’s evolving on the ground as we speak."

“We’re in touch with our allies and, in fact, I’ll be speaking to some of them later today," Sunak said. "But the most important thing I’d say is for all parties to be responsible and to protect civilians, and that’s about as much as I can say at this moment."

The British prime minister did not comment when pressed by reporters over whether he sees Wagner's munity as a good thing or a bad thing; however, the UK Ministry of Defence called the developments "the most significant challenge to the Russian state in recent times."

As for Kiev, President Volodymyr Zelensky didn't waste any time capitalizing, blasting the "stupidity" of Russia's government and declaring that "weakness" has been exposed for the world to see.

"Everyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself. Who sends columns of troops to destroy the lives of another country and cannot stop them from fleeing and betraying when life resists. Who terrorizes with missiles, and when they are shot down, humiliates himself to receive Shahed drones. Who despises people and throws hundreds of thousands into the war, in order to eventually barricade himself in the Moscow region from those whom he himself armed," he tweeted.  

Zelensky then followed with: "It is also obvious. Ukraine is able to protect Europe from the spread of Russian evil and chaos."

If things continue to unravel inside Russia, with active clashes between regular forces and Wagner fighters in the south, particularly in Rostov region, Western intelligence agencies are likely to grow more and more concerned over the safety and security of Russia's vast nuclear weapons arsenal.