1 of 2 | From left to right, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, U.S. President Joe Biden, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Council President Charles Michel and President of European Commission Ursula von der Leyen pose for a group photo with G-7 leaders following the second-day of July 2023's NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. Photo by Ukrainian President Press Office/ UPI |
License Photo
June 4 (UPI) -- The White House on Tuesday said President Joe Biden will be in Italy next week to represent the United States at the G7 Summit where leaders will discuss "a range of the most pressing global issues," including the G7's "unwavering support" for Ukraine.
The G7 Summit June 13-15 in Borgo Egnazia, in Apulia, which is the 7th G7 summit held in Italy, will bring the leaders of seven member states together, the European Council President Charles Michel and the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, which represents the European Union.
It was established as a platform for economic and financial cooperation in response to the 1973 energy crisis.
Along with Biden and the United States, it will also bring Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunk who is weeks away from a July 4 election, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Giorgia Meloni and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Italy's Ministry of the Interior has taken steps ahead of the G7 to place temporary border restrictions from June 5-18
At the summit next week in the southeast part of Italy, G7 leaders "will advance efforts to make use of Russia's immobilized sovereign assets to help Ukraine," as well as actions to "continue imposing costs on Russia and those who support Russia's war effort," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a news release.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to attend Italy's G7 after visiting France for D-Day's 80th commemoration. He hopes to meet with Biden, who will be there on June 7 to deliver remarks, amid intensifying Russian aggression on the Ukranian eastern front.
But it is unclear if the embattled Ukranian leader will attend in person or virtually, according to a spokesperson.
Biden and the other G7 chiefs will take steps "to promote economic security and resilience, including by addressing harmful overcapacity," and will also "redouble commitments to support developing countries seeking to make investments in their future and to help strengthen food security and health financing."
It comes as the G7 leaders on Monday issued a joint statement saying they "fully endorse" Biden's "comprehensive deal" for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza which calls for "a credible pathway towards peace leading to a two-state solution."
The plan likewise calls for the release of hostages taken Oct. 7 by the terrorist group Hamas, a "significant and sustained increase in humanitarian assistance for distribution" in Gaza," and an "enduring end to the crisis, with Israel's security interests and Gazan civilian safety assured."
"We call on Hamas to accept this deal, that Israel is ready to move forward with, and we urge countries with influence over Hamas to help ensure that it does so," their statement read.
The White House statement on Tuesday also came the day after it was announced that Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Switzerland to represent the United States on June 15 at the international Summit on Peace in Ukraine at Burgenstock Resort in Lucerne.
