Leaders of the Group of Seven nations issued a statement Wednesday indicating that they will not recognize the outcome of the Crimea region's proposed referendum on seceding from Ukraine.
Crimea is set to hold a referendum Sunday on whether to rejoin Russia or remain a part of Ukraine. Last Thursday, the regional parliament voted unanimously to become part of Russia.
The G7 leaders argued that the referendum would have no legal effect, citing the lack of adequate preparation and the intimidating presence of Russian troops.
The statement was released by the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States as well as the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission.
The G7 leaders called on Russia to cease all efforts to change the status of Crimea, describing the move as contrary to Ukrainian law and in violation of international law.
"We call on the Russian Federation to immediately halt actions supporting a referendum on the territory of Crimea regarding its status, in direct violation of the Constitution of Ukraine," the leaders said.
They added, "In addition to its impact on the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea could have grave implications for the legal order that protects the unity and sovereignty of all states."
The G7 leaders threatened to take further action, both individually and collectively, if Russia goes through with the annexation of Crimea.
The U.S. and others claim that Russian troops have taken over Ukrainian military installations across the Crimea region, although Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied the accusations.
Putin has described the armed men as "local self-defense forces" and claimed the Russian military is only interested in protecting the ethnic Russians in the region.
The G7 leaders called on Russia to de-escalate the conflict in Crimea, withdraw its forces and begin direct discussions with the Ukrainian government.
The statement also reminded Russia of the G7 leaders' decision to suspend participation in any activities related to preparation for the G8 summit in Sochi until it changes course.
The G7 statement comes as Ukraine's interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has traveled to Washington to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House on Wednesday.
Yatsenyuk will meet with Obama to find a peaceful resolution to Russia's ongoing military intervention in Crimea, the White House said when announcing the meeting.
The White House said Obama and Yatsenyuk will also discuss support the international community can provide to help Ukraine confront its economic challenges.
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December 19, 2025 15:10 ET U.S. inflation data and interest rate decisions by major central banks were the highlights of this busy week for economics news flow. Employment data and survey results on the housing markets also gained attention in the U.S. In Europe, the European Central Bank and Bank of England announced their policy decisions and macroeconomic projections.