By Mohamad Hojeije | Staff Writer
On May 21st, country members of the G7, which are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, met for their annual summit in Hiroshima, Japan. The visit has been marked by the abrupt participation of Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, which came with the aid of French President Emmanuel Macron, adding tension to the first discussion topic on the list; the Ukraine War. The Ukrainian president had just arrived from a trip to Saudi Arabia and promptly engaged in one-on-one discussions with state leaders.
Although high in the group’s agenda, sanctions thus far have failed to stop the Russian invasion. Nonetheless, having Zelensky stand equally with the leaders of the richest democracies in the world sends a message to Moscow.
The group also delivered a clear message to Beijing. In addition to addressing important issues like nuclear non-proliferation and climate change, the joint final statement emphasized their dedication to the Indo-Pacific region. To demonstrate this commitment, they extended invitations to countries such as Indonesia, India, and the Cook Islands. The G7 also expressed their support for Southeast Asian and Pacific nations, which they believe have been heavily courted by Beijing, and advocated for a “free and open Indo-Pacific” as a response to China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Although they claimed to seek to maintain good relations with China, the leaders took a firm position against what they referred to as “economic coercion,” the use of trade to intimidate/coerce other countries, and called on China to adhere to international rules. Highlighting their commitment to “economic resilience,” they pledged to take measures to decrease excessive dependencies on critical supply chains, acknowledging the ongoing trade connections between the G7 countries and China.
This year’s G7 summit has been met with intense backlash from Russia and China. On Saturday, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, criticized the G7 for being self-indulgent and focusing on an agenda aimed at “deterring” Russia and China. At the same time, China’s Foreign Ministry accused G7 leaders of impeding international peace and urged the group to reflect on its actions and alter its direction.