Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) have convened in Japan with a dual aim of stopping Russia’s war on Ukraine and containing Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. The informal group of leading industrialised nations consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States are meeting in Hiroshima, Japan where they will also push for nuclear disarmament.
It should be noted that three members of the G7 - namely the UK, France and the United States alone possess thousands of warheads.
G7 leaders visited the city’s Peace Park and laid wreaths at the cenotaph to remember those who died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki when the US bombed Japan during World War II.
Commencing their visit, the leaders first made a stop at the Hiroshima Peace Museum, where they witnessed firsthand the harrowing evidence depicting the immense destruction and human suffering resulting from the US nuclear attack on August 6, 1945.
Before the visit, several bilateral meetings were also held on the sidelines.
Here are the key takeaways from first day of the G7 Summit:
- Japan and France expressed their intention to strengthen bilateral cooperation. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met French President Emmanuel Macron and both emphasised the opportunity for an exceptional partnership. Both leaders instructed their ministries to expedite talks on establishing a permanent framework for joint military exercises, news agency Reuters reported.
- Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the G7 Hiroshima summit, to add pressure on Russia to end its so-called military operation. Zelensky’s presence aims to defend Ukraine’s interests and seek greater support in its conflict with Moscow. The G7 leaders are anticipated to announce fresh sanctions against Russia. Zelenskiy is set to arrive in Japan on Saturday evening, Reuters reported.
- In a show of support for Ukraine, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce a ban on Russian diamonds and imports of metals such as copper, aluminium, and nickel, according to a statement from the government. The UK government aims to impose sanctions on an additional 86 individuals and companies associated with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Sunak and Kishida also held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit.
- G7 leaders began the first day of the summit by visiting the Hiroshima Peace Museum, where the destruction and death resulting from the US nuclear attack on August 6, 1945, is documented. Media was restricted from entering the museum, there were speculations about the extent of the leaders’ visit. It was questioned whether they would explore solely the east wing, which educates about the perils of nuclear warfare, or if they would also traverse the main building, where distressing photographs of victims bearing grievous injuries, such as the charred tricycle of a child, are displayed, news agency AFP reported.
- European Council President Charles Michel emphasised the EU’s interest in maintaining “stable and constructive" cooperation with China, as G7 leaders gathered in Hiroshima to address concerns such as China’s “economic coercion" and other issues.
- During the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Italian President Giorgia Meloni held a summit meeting, discussing issues related to East Asia and emphasised the importance of close coordination on China-related issues, North Korea, nuclear and missile concerns and the abductions issue, news agency ANI reported.