What's the story?
- World leaders met in Hiroshima, Japan, last week for the 2023 G7 Summit, with talks focusing on threats from authoritarian powers, China and Russia.
- Each year, the G7 Summit brings together leaders of France, the U.S., the UK, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada, and the European Union. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine was also invited to attend.
- Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida chose Hiroshima as the summit location to highlight G7 leaders' stance against military aggression, nuclear threats, and attempts to disrupt the international order — in light of the crisis in Ukraine and the risk of weapons of mass destruction.
5 key takeaways
Threats of economic coercion by China
- G7 leaders expressed concern over Beijing's "economic coercion" and the "weaponization of economic vulnerabilities." As a solution, they called for "de-risking" to reduce economic dependence on China. This strategy entails countries supporting one another by increasing trade and funding to bypass potential obstacles imposed by China.
Prioritizing climate crisis in bilateral relations
- President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a joint effort to prioritize climate and clean energy as a central pillar of the U.S.-Australia alliance. This effort includes enhancing cooperation on critical minerals, elevating global climate ambition, and signing a statement of intent for climate partnership through the Australia-U.S. compact.
Reaffirming support for the Indo-Pacific
- At the G7 Quad Leader's Summit, authorities committed to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and opposed unilateral actions that altered the status quo or acquired territory through force.
Unity in Ukraine
- G7 leaders backed Ukraine President Zelenskyy's "peace formula." They called on Russia to cease its aggression and entirely withdraw troops from Ukraine's internationally recognized territory.
Ukraine takes priority over talks of nuclear disarmament
- Despite the summit's final communique's mention of a "Hiroshima Vision" for nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation discussions took a backseat to discourse on the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
What do you think of the G7 discussions?
-Laura Woods
(Photo Credit: G7Hiroshima)
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It would be great to see the world become a better place, I'm just waiting to see if it pans out before I chart cheering.
If you're talking, at least you're trying.
Yes we need fossil fuel but how much. Do we need more drilling and oil exportation
hopefully productive.
...if only half of these outcomes could happen, we would be living in a better world. It seems, however, that the world is becoming increasingly more authoritarian. The constant rise of wealthy idiots is dominating more and more. Their ideas are self-motivating and destructive to the rest of world citizens. I believe at the root of this is money. Money corrupts. To my fellow Christians, remember how a young Jesus Christ through the corrupt out of the temple, out of God's house. Please remember this as you listen to the liars on Fox, OAN, Newsmax, and Twitter. Viewership to them equates to ratings and then equates to dollars. It is not about you and what you want or need, it is about making them rich at your expense. And, this is a world issue!
Geez - more of a political gathering, but then seems nowadays that is necessary. Sorta...I think...but in this case with different countries.
Imagine if no rapport with each country then it may be worse..so world leaders go for it and try to do your best...
Necessary, but utility?
Let's see what they actually DO after this meeting.
Waste of time, waste of money
It's a good start.