Ukrainian minister calls Wagner uprising 'opportunity' as G7 countries meet

Russia has begun a process of self-destruction by invading Ukraine, Ukraine's deputy defence minister said on Saturday. She called the armed uprising by the Wagner group an "opportunity" for Ukraine.

"They are attacking us, but they are destroying themselves," Hanna Maliar said in a message on Telegram. "What does this mean for us? An opportunity," she said, stressing that Ukraine was continuing its "work for victory".

"They are attacking us, but they are destroying themselves"

Meanwhile, the G7 foreign ministers, including US president Joe Biden, have met to discuss the situation in Russia, EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell announced via Twitter. The G7 comprises France, the US, the UK, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada. In addition, the EU participates in the summits.

Borrell also said the crisis centre had been activated and that an EU Foreign Affairs Council was scheduled on Monday. "We continue to support Ukraine unabated," he said.

National Security Council to meet

In Belgium, the National Security Council will meet on Sunday to discuss the latest developments in Russia. Prime minister Alexander De Croo announced this on Twitter. "The developments in Russia seem serious and impactful for Europe," De Croo wrote.

De Croo will meet with defence and foreign affairs ministers and the security and intelligence services on Saturday evening, and the National Security Council will meet at 10.00 on Sunday to further monitor the situation.

"The developments in Russia seem serious and impactful for Europe"

He said he had spoken to Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki by phone. Poland borders the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus, an ally of Moscow. "We will stay in touch in the coming days to assess the political and military impact of the latest developments," De Croo added.

^{© GENYA SAVILOV / AFP}