World leaders began arriving in Hiroshima on Thursday for a Group of Seven meeting in the western Japanese city that was the site of the world’s first atomic bomb attack, with Russia’s war in Ukraine expected to be high on the agenda.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida planned to hold separate meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden, who arrived at a nearby military base, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak later in the day, before the wider summit kicks off Friday.
The U.S. president exited Air Force One in heavy rain and briefly greeted troops on arrival at the nearby Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.
As G-7 attendees made their way to Hiroshima, Moscow unleashed yet another aerial attack on the Ukrainian capital. Loud explosions thundered through Kyiv during the early hours, marking the ninth time this month that Russian air raids have targeted the city after weeks of relative quiet.
“The crisis in Ukraine: I’m sure that’s what the conversation is going to start with,” said Matthew P. Goodman, senior vice president for economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, said there will be “discussions about the battlefield” in Ukraine and on the “state of play on sanctions and the steps that the G-7 will collectively commit to on enforcement in particular.”
Zelenskyy
G-7 leaders and invited guests from several other counties are also expected to discuss China’s growing assertiveness and military buildup as concerns rise that it could could try to seize Taiwan by force, sparking a wider conflict. China claims the self-governing island as its own and regularly sends ships and warplanes near it.
Security was tight in Hiroshima, with large groups of police deployed at numerous points throughout the city. A small group of protesters was considerably outnumbered by police as they gathered Wednesday evening beside the ruins of the Atomic Peace Dome memorial, holding signs including one which read “No G7 Imperialist Summit!”
In a bit of dueling diplomacy, Chinese President Xi Jinping is hosting the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for a two-day summit in the Chinese city of Xi’an starting Thursday.
Kishida also hopes to highlight the risks of nuclear proliferation during the meeting in Hiroshima. Leaders are expected to visit a memorial park that commemorates the 1945 atomic bombing by the U.S. that destroyed the city and killed 140,000 people.
The prospect of another nuclear attack has been crystalized by nearby North Korea’s nuclear program and spate of recent missile tests, and Russia’s threats to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. China, meanwhile, is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal.
Leaders are also likely to discuss efforts to strengthen the global economy and address rising prices that are squeezing families and government budgets around the world, particularly in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The debate over rising the debt limit in the U.S. the world’s largest economy, is overshadowing the talks. Biden plans to hurry back to Washington after the summit for debt negotiations, scrapping planned meetings in Papua New Guinea and Australia.
The British prime minister arrived in Japan earlier Thursday and paid a visit to the JS Izumo, a ship that can carry helicopters and fighter jets able to take off and land vertically.
During their bilateral meeting Thursday, Sunak and Kishida are expected to announce a series of new agreements on issues including defense; trade and investment; technology; and climate change, Sunak’s office said.
The G-7 includes Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and Italy, as well as the European Union.
A host of other countries have been invited to take part as well. The G-7 hopes to strengthen its members’ ties with countries outside the world’s richest industrialized nations, while shoring up support for efforts like isolating Russia.
Leaders from Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia and South Korea are among those taking part. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to join by video link.
__
Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed reporting from Air Force One.
Follow us on:
Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has named Rachel de Oliveira Conceicao as its legal…
In a surprising turn during the Edo state governorship election, Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party…
The Governor of Ondo state, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has vowed to transform the state into…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced an extension of voting time in areas…
Usher paid tribute to the male role models in his life at the 2024 Black…
The EFCC has arrested three suspects for alleged vote buying during the ongoing Edo governorship…
View Comments
of nigerian IMPOUNDED VEHICLES FOR SALE IN A CHEAP AND AFFORDABLE AUCTION PRICE INTERESTED BUYER SHOULD KINDLY CONTACT OFFICER MrsEze .
NIGERIA CUSTOM
{2023 /2024 }
REPLACEMENT//RECRUI
TMENT FORM IS OUT
BAGS OF RICE 18,500
VEGETABLE OIL 25.
LITTER 10,000
TOKUMBO VEHICLE FOR
SALE AT AUCTION PRICE
INTERESTED BUYER
SHOULD CONTACT
OFFICER MrsEze
[O7O 4540 6674]
CARS FEATURES AND
PRICE BELOW
GOLF 2,3,4,5 #350,000
TOYOTA CAMRY BIG
DADDY #550,000
TOYOTA CAMRY
TINYLIGH= #350,000
TOYOTA CAMRY
MUSCLE= #850,000
TOYOTA CAMRY
PENCILLIGHT=#400,000
TOYOTA COROLLA
le=#550,000
TOYOTA COROLLA
S=#750,000
TOYOTA
VENZA=#950,00 1.8m
TOYOTA Hilux 1.5 million
TOYOTA AVALON
#800,000
TOYOTA AVENSIS
#700,000
TOYOTA RAV4 800,000
TOYOTA SIENNA
#650,000
TOYOTA
4runner#850,000
TOYOTA TUNDRA 1.9m
TOYOTA PICNIC
#550,000
TOYOTA Highlander
#950,000
TOYOTA PADRO JEEP
1.6m
TOYOTA LAND
CRUISER=1.5m
TOYOTA YARIS #459,000
TOYOTA MATRIX
#650,000
TOYOTA HAICE BUS
#950,000
ACCURA ZDX 1.6m
ACCURA MDX 1.9m
HONDA PILOT #950,00
HONDA BABY BOY
#550,000
HONDA END OF
DISCUSSION
600,000
HONDA ACCORD
#450,000
Honda CR-V #850,000
INFINITY fx450 #750,000
to 1.4m
NISSAN MURANO
#650,00
LEXUS RX 350 #1.2m
LEXUS RS 330 # 1m
LEXUS RS 300 # 900,000
LEXUS RX 470 1.5m
All NEGOTIABLE WE
RENDER GOOD SERVICE
TO CUSTOMER ....{ E.T .C}
LOCATION AT OGUN
STATE IDIROKO BORDER WE
HAVE TWO OPTION
ELDER WE DELIVERY OR
YOU COME OVER IF WE
HAVE TO COME OVER WE
NEED THIS FROM YOU
{1} NATIONAL ID CARD
{2} BORDER PERMIT
{3} INSPECTION DOCUMENTS
{4} 2PASSPORT
THANKS FOR YOUR
PATRONAGE WE
DELIVER TO 36 STATE IN
NIGERIA AND ALSO
COME DOWN WITH THE
FULL PAYMENT CALL
FOR MORE
INFORMATION
{O7O 4540 6674 }WE ALSO HAVE TRUCKS FOR SALE!!!! EVERY BUYER IS EXPECTED TO PAY FOR THE DOCUMENTS OF THE VEHICLES BEFORE THE DELIVERY WILL COMMENCE!!!! WE DELIVER NATION WIDE NOTICE INSTALMENTAL PAYMENT IS ALLOWED!!!!!! THANKS FOR PATRONIZING WITH US.!!!!