Top diplomats from the Group of Seven nations held talks online on Thursday and agreed to continue providing Ukraine with necessary support, including help for its people to survive the severe winter.

It was their 11th meeting on the issue this year.

They condemned Russia for intensifying attacks on civilian facilities in Ukraine, including power plants.

Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa said the G7 nations should strengthen their cooperation as the invasion drags on.

He also spoke of Japan's strong will, as next year's chair of the G7 framework, not to accept any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force.

Hayashi told his counterparts that the government last week approved a National Security Strategy that would allow the country to acquire counterstrike capabilities under specific circumstances.

Counterstrikes would be limited to self-defense and would never be preemptive. The policy says they must only be directed against military targets.

Hayashi said Japan intends to continue diplomatic efforts to maintain a free and open international order based on the rule of law.