The leaders of the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Japan, Canada, and Italy, gathered in the Hiroshima city of Japan from May 19 to May 21, 2023. They agreed to address several global challenges including economy and international stability and security.
They approved an ambitious declaration touching upon the most significant current geopolitical issues from climate change, health, and food security, to disarmament and the challenges posed by the regime in Pyongyang in North Korea. The Group of Seven (G7) leaders reaffirmed their united approach to offering long-term support to Ukraine.
G7 guests: This year, the G7 welcomed guests from South America to South Asia, Ukraine to the South Pacific, including big emerging economies like Australia, Brazil, Indonesia (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations chair), and India, and smaller ones like Comoros (the current African Union chair) and Cook Islands (Pacific Islands Forum chair) as well as Vietnam and South Korea.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the host of the G7 summit, said that one of the goals of the meeting was to highlight the importance of the Global South developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Highlights of G7 Hiroshima Summit
The joint communique issued at the end of the summit included these key points:
Global challenges: The G7 leaders met in Hiroshima and expressed their determination to address global challenges.
Ukraine: They committed to supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal war of aggression and vowed to provide diplomatic, financial, humanitarian, and military support.
Non-proliferation: The G7 leaders emphasized the importance of disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, aiming for a world without nuclear weapons while ensuring security for all.
Indo-Pacific: They affirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, opposing unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion.
Clean Energy: The G7 pledged to drive the transition to clean energy economies through cooperation within and beyond the group.
Economy and sustainable development: They focused on economic resilience and security, advocating for diversifying partnerships, de-risking, and promoting cooperation in clean energy and infrastructure investment. They emphasized the need for a strong and resilient global economic recovery, financial stability, and sustainable growth while accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The G7 leaders stressed the importance of effective regulation and oversight in addressing financial stability and risks posed by crypto-assets.
AI: They urged cooperation in advancing discussions on inclusive artificial intelligence (AI) governance and interoperability.
Food and Health: The leaders launched the Hiroshima Action Statement for Resilient Global Food Security and aimed to mobilize $600 billion for quality infrastructure through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII). The leaders prioritized global health, including vaccine manufacturing capacity, pandemic prevention, preparedness, response, and achieving universal health coverage (UHC).
After meeting in Hiroshima, the city of peace, we are moving forward together.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 21, 2023
We agreed that:
Security in Europe and Asia is indivisible and UN principles must be upheld;
Climate action will be stepped up;
Partnerships should be win-win.
The @G7 is more united than ever. pic.twitter.com/UJ96Jf6OMg
Zelensky makes dramatic appearance at G7 summit
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky joined leaders of major democracies at the 2023 summit in Japan. The Ukrainian president arrived in Hiroshima on a French government plane, after a stopover in Saudi Arabia.
His visit came hours after the U.S. said it will allow its Western allies to supply Ukraine with advanced fighter jets, including American-made F-16s, and that U.S. troops will also train Ukrainian pilots to use the jets.
At the G7 summit, Zelenskyy called on the world to prevent future wars by ensuring Russia is the “last aggressor”. He told the leaders in Japan that “the more we all work together, the less likely anyone else in the world will follow Russia’s insane path.”
Support for Ukraine
President Joe Biden announced a new $375m package of military aid to Ukraine and said that the military aid package included ammunition, artillery, armored vehicles, and training. “Together with the entire G7, we have Ukraine’s back and I promise we’re not going anywhere,” Biden told Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy and the leaders of the G7 are holding a working session on the war in Ukraine.
Together, with the entire G7, we have Ukraine’s back.
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 21, 2023
And, like I promised President Zelenskyy, we’re not going anywhere. pic.twitter.com/bqWGEtUcsN
French President Macron hoped that the G7 summit may convince developing countries such as India and Brazil to take a stronger stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine.“This war isn’t just European,” Macron said. “It’s the opportunity to discuss, exchange and convince partners of this enlarged G7 … India, Brazil, Indonesia and several other countries from the south, who have sometimes not exchanged as much with Ukraine” he said.
Countering Russia
At the summit, the G7 leaders again condemned the “war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine”, which they said constitutes a serious violation of international law, including the UN Charter. They agreed to expedite the reduction of reliance on Russian energy while aligning with global climate commitments. Since February 2022, the Western countries have adopted sanctions, import bans, and other measures to reduce our dependence on Russia’s source of energy.
G7 seeks constructive ties with China
The G7 leaders underlined their commitment to building constructive and stable relations with China, acknowledging the importance of engaging in candid dialogue and expressing concerns directly. The joint communique said that the G7 does not seek to block the country’s development, saying “Our policy approaches are not designed to harm China nor do we seek to thwart China’s economic progress and development”.
They emphasize economic resilience, fair trade, opposition to unilateral actions, and express concerns about human rights. The G7 also urges China to support peace in Taiwan and press Russia to end its aggression in Ukraine.
The G7 is more united, more resolved, and more determined to set up for greater progress in the months ahead. pic.twitter.com/UU6Igk2Agz
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 22, 2023
Clean Energy
G7 leaders called on the need for major economies to accelerate climate actions while ensuring energy security in response to the current energy crisis and potential gas supply shortfalls.
The leaders of the Group of Seven committed to accelerating clean energy transitions and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) by 2050 by focusing on energy efficiency, renewable energy deployment, and reducing coal power generation. G7 promotes offshore wind, solar PV, and low-carbon hydrogen.
G7 aims to phase out unabated fossil fuels, eliminate inefficient subsidies, and reduce dependence on Russian energy. They support nuclear energy’s role and call for high safety standards. They underscored the need for clean energy transformation, economic diversification, and sustainable supply chains, to realize the goals of the Clean Energy Economy Action Plan.
