The G7 reiterated its support for Ukraine’s defense on Thursday, addressing its urgent short-term financing needs and long-term reconstruction. Germany will host the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin this year, and Italy in 2025.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers’ talks on the Italian island of Capri that the United States was committed to helping Kyiv defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against the Russian aggression, including recent attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

The recent attack on the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in Ukraine has raised concerns that a major nuclear accident could occur.

Blinken also stressed the urgency for Congress to act on aid to Ukraine.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives is expected to hold much-anticipated votes on aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific region as early as Saturday.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock told a news conference: “In this turbulent period, it is a hopeful sign that the US Republican Party has now sent a signal that it can continue to strongly support Ukraine.”

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Kuleba later attended a meeting of G7 foreign ministers focused on supporting Ukraine.

Stoltenberg said the alliance was actively working to provide more air defense systems as soon as possible.

In Washington, G7 finance ministers concluded talks earlier this week on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group.

The G7 finance ministers said in a statement that they were working with the EU to “provide stable, predictable and sustainable financial support” to meet some of Ukraine’s financing needs until 2027, including supporting investment and financing.

“We reaffirm our commitment to supporting Ukraine’s long-term recovery and reconstruction needs, which the World Bank currently estimates will reach nearly $486 billion over 10 years,” the finance ministers said in a statement.

Some of the information in this report comes from Reuters.