(VOVworld) – Ukraine’s crisis and relations with Russia were the main topics of discussion on the first day of the G7 Summit that opened in Brussels Wednesday.

G7 leaders want to send a strong message on Ukraine.

Leaders of the G7 industrial nations issued a joint statement saying that they will impose tougher sanctions on Russia if Moscow does not help restore stability in eastern Ukraine. German Chancellor Angela Merkel clarified G7’s three-step approach to the Ukrainian issue: support Ukraine economically, engage in talks with Russia, and if the situation in Ukraine gets worse, impose tougher sanctions. Merkel said the ideal would be to maintain a close partnership with Russia and that sanctions are not the best way to end the crisis in Ukraine.G7 leaders unanimously agreed to foster co-operation in dealing with terrorist threats from European Syria veterans.