The annual Group of Seven, or G7, summit began today in Italy, where leaders from the host country, the U.S., the U.K., Canada, France, Germany and Japan are meeting to discuss the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as China’s industrial policy. (AP)
Our Take
There are two contrasting narratives about this year’s G7 summit. On the one hand, the group has seen a return to prominence since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with the G7 in many ways becoming the steering committee for the West in its efforts to counter what it believes are the biggest threats to the international order—namely, Russia and China.
On the other hand, nearly all of the leaders attending this year’s summit have been significantly weakened domestically since last year’s gathering: