G7 highlights: Zelensky, China and Russia
- May 22, 2023
- 0
The G7 leaders’ summit was dominated by the presence President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Western efforts to reduce it Chinese addiction and, of course, beautiful Japanese mascots that
The G7 leaders’ summit was dominated by the presence President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Western efforts to reduce it Chinese addiction and, of course, beautiful Japanese mascots that added color to this event.
The seven largest economies in the world (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US) and European Union (EU), They sought to demonstrate their unity at the G7 summit held in Hiroshima, where the first atomic bombing took place in history.
These were the keys to the meeting, which lasted three days and ended this Sunday:
Photo Twitter @JPN_PMO
Zelensky and the capture of Bakhmut
Zelensky wanted to use the G7 summit to show the world the strength of Ukraine, but many of his speeches were marked by news around the city Bakhmut, who, according to Russia, is occupied after eight months of bloody fighting.
At a press conference this Sunday, the Ukrainian leader confirmed that Bakhmut “Today it is not occupied by Russia” and he tried to clear up the confusion caused by some statements he had made to a journalist that there were no more “simple questions” and no more “simple answers”.
In addition to the Bakhmut controversy, Zelenskiy took advantage of the summit to meet for the first time with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has refused to join the West in his condemnation of the war; but he said he could not face his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva “because there were no steps” from the Latino.
Photo Twitter @POTUS
Disagreements within the G7 on China
Before the advent of Zelensky, China was the focus of this summit.. However, the G7 has attempted to overcome its internal divisions over China and, in its closing statement, advocated reducing what it sees as “over-reliance” on the Asian giant when it comes to access to supplies in key industries such as technology.
Despite everything, the tone was conciliatory, and the text didn’t even mention Beijing when the issue was discussed.”economic coercion” In an attempt to please France and Germany, French President Emmanuel Macron said this Sunday.
Photo Twitter @JPN_PMO
Training of Ukrainian pilots
While much of the debate revolved around China, most of the specific measures announced at the G7 concerned war in Ukraine.
In one big piece of news, US President Joe Biden told his G7 partners on Friday that the United States would help train Ukrainian pilots to operate American F-16 fighter jets and opened the door for deliveries of those aircraft to Ukraine in the future.
The pressure to bring these planes to Kyiv has intensified in recent months. In fact, the EU countries (of which Germany, France and Italy are represented in the G7) are conducting internal discussions how and when to proceed with sending the F-16 and possibly other European-made aircraft, while the UK and other EU members formed an “international coalition” with the same goal.
Photo Twitter @10DowningStreet
Punishment for those who help Russia evade sanctions
Another development of the G7 was the announcement of sanctions against Russia, an initiative by the US, Canada and the United Kingdom, which wanted to punish hundreds of people and companies that help the Kremlin evade sanctions which the West has imposed since the beginning of the invasion in February 2022.
Meanwhile, the EU has announced that it is preparing new package of sanctions which would include restrictions on the export of Russian diamonds, one of the Kremlin’s main sources of funding, and which three members of the G7 (US, Canada and UK) have already imposed sanctions to some extent.
Photo: @MofaJapan_ru
Record attendance from the Global South
In the long term, the G7 summit in Hiroshima will also be remembered for highlighting the importance of the countries of the so-called “global south”who were invited in record numbers by host Japan.
President of Brazil Luis Inacio Lula da Silvawho will assume the chairmanship of the G20 next year, and the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, who currently chairs this international forum, has participated in debates on development, food security and energy.
They also spoke to other world leaders about Ukraine. According to a source with access to the G7 talks, Lula wondered if war talks were taking place within the United Nations Security Councilwhile Modi spoke “strongly” about the principle of sovereignty, clearly changing the wording.
Photo Twitter @CharlesMichel
japan pets
Finally, as the organizer of the meeting, Japan wanted to soften the mood by having journalists and foreign visitors participate in various cultural elements of the country, including mascots: people dressed in costumes and usually representing cities, companies or institutions.
During the summit, characters from Myaku Myaku, the many-eyed alien mascot of the 2025 Osaka World’s Fair; Tako-kun, a giant octopus representing Akashi City (center); and Futaba-kun (in Fukushima), a daruma – a happy doll – with two faces and an ambassador of the city of Futaba in Fukushima.
Guests of the meeting not only took pictures with their pets, but also had the opportunity to taste some of the specialties of the region, such as oysters, Hiroshima okonomiyaki – a type of Japanese omelet with noodles – and sake.
Photo Twitter @JPN_PMO
(EFE)
Source: Aristegui Noticias
As an experienced journalist and author, Mary has been reporting on the latest news and trends for over 5 years. With a passion for uncovering the stories behind the headlines, Mary has earned a reputation as a trusted voice in the world of journalism. Her writing style is insightful, engaging and thought-provoking, as she takes a deep dive into the most pressing issues of our time.
