Italy wants to use its chairmanship in G7 to change narrative about Ukraine

European Pravda, Ukrainska Pravda — Tuesday, 23 January 2024, 14:43

Meeting of the foreign affairs ministers of the Group of Seven. Photo: Getty Images

Italy will chair the Group of Seven this year and plans to use its position to change the narrative that Russia is allegedly winning in Ukraine and that the West has grown tired of the war.

Source: the Reuters agency, referencing to a source familiar with Italy’s plans concerning G7, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Italy will chair the G7, which also counts the US, Japan, Germany, the UK, France and Canada as its members, in 2024, and the G7 leaders’ summit will be held in June.

Voicing Italy’s priorities for the first time, the source reported that main issues on the summit’s agenda will be the conflict in the Middle East, trade security, climate change, development in Africa, relations with China and artificial intelligence.

The war in Ukraine will also be a key issue, as it was during the last two chairmanships of the group.

The source added that the G7 leaders are determined to demonstrate their unwavering loyalty to Kyiv, and cannot risk showing signs of weakness two years after the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"We must change the narrative concerning Ukraine," the source stated, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin has lost a significant amount of financial, military and diplomatic influence after the invasion.

Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni stated earlier that the dangers of artificial intelligence will be the key issue of Italy’s chairmanship in the G7, and the group will dedicate one session at the summit in Apulia on 13-15 June to this issue.

The source also reported that the G7 leaders are "practically on the same page" concerning artificial intelligence, and that there is a broad consensus on the majority of issues, including relations with China.

The source added that all sides are determined to avoid tensions in their relations with Beijing.

Background:

From 1 January Italy started its chairmanship in the G7, replacing Japan in this role.
Italian PM Georgia Meloni thinks that further aid for Ukraine is necessary to facilitate parity in the battlefield with Russia, otherwise the war may expand closer to Italy.

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