Sunak Puts On Affectionate Display with Meloni at G7 Summit

Jun 13, 2024 | Rishi Sunak greeted the Italian prime minister with a warm embrace at the welcome ceremony of the G7 summit. Mr Sunak and Giorgia Meloni were pictured holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes in Bari on Thursday. They were also seen affectionately holding each other’s shoulders as Mr Sunak leant towards Ms Meloni.

Wartime Economy, Can G7 Stare Down Russia over Ukraine? • FRANCE 24 English

Jun 27, 2022 • Who has got who over a barrel? G7 leaders are pushing the idea of capping the price they pay for Russian oil and gas, effectively forcing Moscow to choose whether to supply at a discount or cut off the revenue stream of its pipelines.

G7 - Benny Hill Showcases ‘Global Britain’ to World Leaders at the Seaside

The G7 meeting which took place in Cornwall last week was meant to be the moment when Boris Johnson could showcase ‘Global Britain’ to the American president Joe Biden and the EU leaders from whose shackles Britain had finally broken free. Instead we saw a hapless disorganised indecisive and rather scruffy individual apparently unaware of the dislike others present feel for him. Despite a huge surge in coronavirus cases and the worst performing economy in the G7 the prime minister remains as popular as ever.

Boris Johnson’s ‘Global Britain’ Makes Shaky Start at G7 Summit

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The prime minister’s plan to introduce his vision of a nimble, trade-savvy U.K. was upended by a spat over Northern Ireland.

FALMOUTH, England — With an idyllic view of the Cornish coast as a backdrop, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had an unmatched setting in which to launch his dream of a Global Britain. But as Mr. Johnson drew the Group of 7 meeting to a close, Brexit and the pandemic conspired to cloud its debut.

Rather than extolling global agreements to combat climate change or confront China, Mr. Johnson found himself at a news conference on Sunday dodging questions about a four-week delay in Britain’s reopening of its economy and trying to play down an ugly clash with the European Union over Northern Ireland.

The latter issue dramatizes the long shadow Brexit is casting on Mr. Johnson’s effort to rebrand Britain as a vital player on the global stage. Not only did Northern Ireland poison Mr. Johnson’s talks with President Emmanuel Macron of France, but it also threatens to undermine his relationship with President Biden.

The meeting, which brought together world leaders for the first time in person since the departure of President Donald J. Trump, did achieve a striking change in tone after four years of turbulence. With Mr. Biden a good-natured guest, the United States swung back into alignment with its allies in Europe and elsewhere. » | Mark Landler | Monday, June 14, 2021

Brexit Bust-up Torpedoes Johnson’s Bid to Showcase ‘Global Britain’ at G7

THE OBSERVER: Northern Ireland border row hits summit in Cornwall as prime minister tells other leaders UK is ‘a single country’

Boris Johnson was embroiled in an extraordinary public spat with EU leaders over Northern Ireland on Saturday as tensions over Brexit boiled over at the G7 summit in Cornwall.

After a series of tense bilateral meetings at which the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the German chancellor, Angela Merkel and the European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, told their summit host the UK must implement the Brexit deal in full, an unrepentant Johnson said he had urged his EU colleagues to “get it into their heads” that the UK is “a single country”. » | Heather Stewart& Toby Helm | Saturday, June 12, 2021

The Queen Meets G7 Leaders at Summit Reception

The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at the G7 summit reception in Cornwall on Friday evening.

The Queen hosted G7 world leaders at an evening reception when a day of political talks gave way to the "soft diplomacy" of the monarchy. There, the Queen met US President Joe Biden for the first time.

Three generations of the royal family were present for the event staged at the Eden Project in Cornwall for presidents and prime ministers and their partners. The Queen was joined by the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

At one point during the photocall the Queen joked: "Are you supposed to be looking as if you're enjoying yourself?'

The Guardian View on Hosting the G7: To Biden, Britain Is Still Europe

THE GUARDIAN: Boris Johnson’s diplomatic priority should be repairing relations with the UK’s continental neighbours

It is a stroke of good luck for Boris Johnson that Britain is hosting this year’s G7 summit. As chair of the club for rich democracies, the prime minister’s centrality to the proceedings is guaranteed. He is first in line to meet Joe Biden, who flies in to Cornwall on Wednesday for his first official foreign trip as US president.

The choreography flatters Mr Johnson, casting him as America’s point man in Europe. That is the role that the UK traditionally sees for itself in transatlantic relations. The truth is more complicated. Leaving the EU removes Britain’s influence in Brussels, which diminishes its utility to Washington as a bridge to the rest of the continent. President Biden sees Brexit as strategic ineptitude, sowing gratuitous division among countries that the US would rather see united.

It does not help that Mr Johnson also exudes contempt for Britain’s nearest neighbours. He has prioritised nationalistic bravado over compromise. That has been noticed in Washington, especially as regards Ireland – the country from which the current US president’s ancestors originated and to which he has a strong cultural attachment. » | Editorial | Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Rishi Sunak Announces ‘Historic Agreement’ by G7 on Tax Reform

THE GUARDIAN: Finance ministers agree deal to force multinationals to pay tax in all countries where they operate

The G7 group of wealthy nations have signed a landmark deal to tackle tax abuses by some of the world’s biggest multinationals and establish a minimum global corporation tax for the first time.

Finance ministers from the world’s richest economies agreed the historic deal on Saturday as part of talks held in London, the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, said.

As part of the plan, finance ministers also agreed to the principle of a global minimum rate that ensures multinationals pay tax of at least 15% in each country in which they operate.

Sunak said: “These seismic tax reforms are something the UK has been pushing for and a huge prize for the British taxpayer – creating a fairer tax system fit for the 21st century. » | Phillip Inman | Saturday, June 5, 2021

Trump Pushes Doral for G7, Swats at Bed Bug Infestation Reports | The Beat with Ari Melber | MSNBC

Despite reports of settling a lawsuit in 2017 for bed bugs claims, Trump is pushing his Doral resort for next year’s G-7 summit. Former U.S. attorney Joyce Vance critiques Trump’s 'for profit presidency' saying, Trump continues to use the office 'to advertise for these businesses that create income for him and his family.'

Eugene Robinson: ‘Trump’s Obama Envy Is Getting Even Worse’ | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Eugene Robinson joins Morning Joe to talk about his new op-ed in The Washington Post about Trump’s obsession with comparing himself to President Obama and his behavior at the G-7 meeting.

How the World Is Moving On from US Leadership | Deadline | MSNBC

NBC and MSNBC’s John Heilemann, Georgetown University’s Elise Labott, former deputy national security advisor for President Obama Ben Rhodes, and former congressman David Jolly on how the other members of the G-7 dealt with Trump at the global summit, as he went out of his way to excuse the actions of some of America’s adversaries

Donald Trump Picks a Fight with Justin Trudeau

After an already tense G7 meeting, U.S. President Trump took to Twitter to attack host Justin Trudeau. Trump left the summit early for a meeting with long-time foe Kim Jong-un, but he’s managed to leave a trail of broken friendships in his wake. CBC’s Wendy Mesley speaks with Foreign Affairs minister Chrystia Freeland about the nature of the Canada-U.S. relationship.

Kudlow: Canada's Trudeau Stabbed Us in the Back

President Donald Trump's top economic adviser Larry Kudlow says Trump pulled out of backing the G7 communiqué in reaction to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's statement criticizing the United States.

Trump Speaks at G7 before Heading to North Korea Summit

President Donald Trump makes remarks at the G7 summit ahead of his planned trip to Singapore for the North Korea summit.

G7 Gets Underway amid Rising Tensions with Trump

Trump Wraps Up World Tour at G7 Summit in Italy (Parts 1 & 2)

Europe’s Dependence on Allies Is Over – Merkel

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed on Sunday that the country is decreasingly able to rely on its allies. The G7 summit this weekend in Sicily saw leaders struggle to find common ground on the usually-harmonious issue of climate change. Angela Merkel also complained that it was tough to reach consensus with the Americans.

Syria Crisis: Russia Raises Prospect of War If It Is Given G7 Ultimatum as It Mocks Boris Johnson's No-show

THE TELEGRAPH: Russia has raised the prospect of war with the West as it mocked Boris Johnson for cancelling a trip to Moscow in the wake of the Syrian nerve gas attack.

The Russian Embassy in London posted a series of provocative tweets on its official account in which it suggested that "a conventional war" could be one outcome if the G7 group of nations presents it with an ultimatum later this week.

The Embassy also said it was "deplorable" that Mr Johnson was "unable to stand Western ground" by attending talks with his Russian counterpart.

It came as Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, warned Russia it is responsible for the deaths caused by the Syrian chemical weapons attack "by proxy". » | Gordon Raynor, Political Editor and Kate McCann, Senior Political Correspondent | Sunday, April 9, 2017

Merkel und Obama besuchen bayerisches Dorf

Vor dem Beginn des G7-Gipfels in Elmau haben die Bundeskanzlerin und der US-Präsident bayerische Gemütlichkeit genossen.

G7 Warns Russia on 'Annexing' Crimea

BBC: Leaders of the G7 group of nations have called on Russia to stop all efforts to "annex" Ukraine's Crimea region.

They said if Russia took such a step they would "take further action, individually and collectively".

The G7 leaders also said they would not recognise the results of a referendum in Crimea this weekend on whether to split from Ukraine and join Russia.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's national security chief has warned of a major Russian military build-up on Ukraine's borders.

Andriy Parubiy said Moscow had not withdrawn its troops after carrying out military exercises near Ukraine's eastern and southern frontiers.

"The Russian army is only two to three hours' march from Kiev," he said, adding that Ukraine's "units are positioned to repel attack from any direction." (+ BBC video) » | Wednesday, March 12, 2014