G7 divided over Russian sanctions waiver extension

The recent extension of a key waiver on Russian sanctions proves that G7 member nations are not completely aligned on geopolitical strategy, EU Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis stated on Tuesday. While acknowledging that the G7 serves as an essential forum for cooperation among like-minded allies, Dombrovskis openly criticized the decision to prolong the waiver.

"We are not always 100% aligned on everything, and this is unfortunately one of those topics," Dombrovskis told reporters following a meeting of G7 finance ministers and central bank governors in Paris. Despite the friction over Russia policy, the commissioner praised the summit's final joint statement, characterizing the overall gathering as a successful outcome for the bloc's financial leadership, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Beyond sanctions, the summit served as a venue to address brewing transatlantic anxieties over cutting-edge technology. Dombrovskis revealed he received firm reassurances from United States officials that European banks will gradually be granted access to Anthropic's powerful new "Mythos" AI model. The U.S. government has tightly restricted the model's distribution due to national security guardrails, a policy Dombrovskis supported, noting the obvious importance of keeping such technology from "ending up in the wrong hands."

The access timeline is critical for European financial stability. Earlier this month, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde warned that the ECB is actively trying to design defenses against potential Mythos-guided cyberattacks, but cautioned that European institutions remain at a severe disadvantage as long as they lack direct access to the model itself.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada