President Biden made his entrance at the G7 summit in Italy on Thursday, where he was the last leader to arrive. Upon meeting Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on stage, Biden kissed her on the head and engaged in a brief interaction, which included signing a G7 logo frame with other leaders. He concluded the encounter with an awkward salute to the prime minister.
The G7, consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US, gathers annually to discuss economic policies, security issues, and global challenges. This year’s summit, running until Saturday, focuses on conflicts worldwide, advancements in artificial intelligence, and aid commitments to Ukraine amidst ongoing tensions with Russia.
A notable event at this summit will be Pope Francis addressing the G7, marking the first time a pontiff has done so. His agenda includes ethical concerns regarding artificial intelligence and calls for peaceful resolutions to conflicts in Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas.
Following their initial meeting, President Biden and Prime Minister Meloni were later joined by other G7 leaders, including Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the platform.
