The Group of Seven industrialized nations are considering holding a foreign ministerial meeting in Germany next month in a show of unity ahead of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, diplomatic sources said Friday.

The first gathering of the G-7 top diplomats in 2023 is expected to take place on the sidelines of the annual Munich Security Conference to be held from Feb. 17 to 19 in the southern German city, according to the sources.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is expected to chair the meeting as Japan holds the group's rotating presidency this year, the sources said.

The G-7 nations have maintained economic sanctions on Moscow imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 last year.

The punitive measures include asset freezes of Russian individuals, including President Vladimir Putin, and disconnecting Russian banks from a key international payments system.

At the planned meeting, the ministers will reaffirm their solidarity in pressuring Russia into stopping the aggression and in supporting Ukraine, according to the sources.

The foreign ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union, are also expected to reaffirm the importance of maintaining international order based on the rule of law, the sources added.

Japan has said it will host a G-7 foreign ministerial meeting in April in the central Japan resort town of Karuizawa in a run-up to the group's summit in May in Hiroshima.

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