On the second day of the summit in Elmau, the main topic on the agenda of the G7 Heads of State and Government is continued support for Ukraine. “Our goal is to support Ukraine as best we can,” said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “In order to do this, we must take all the decisions required – a necessity in these difficult times.” He said the unity of the G7 was a good sign in this regard. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the talks at Schloss Elmau via video link.

Federal Chancellor Scholz and US President Biden already discussed this issue at their bilateral talks on Sunday. The two leaders were unanimous in their assessment, said Scholz: “Germany and the USA will always act together when it comes to questions of Ukraine’s security.”

G7 united in its belief in democracy and the rule of law

The Federal Chancellor welcomed the G7 Heads of State and Government to the Summit under the German Presidency on Sunday. The leaders of the economically strong democracies are meeting for three days at Schloss

Elmau. “We share a common view of the world. We’re also united by our belief in democracy and the rule of law,” said Federal Chancellor Scholz at the beginning of the Summit, adding that this would be a key factor in the consultations. One of the topics on the agenda on the second day of the summit is further support for Ukraine.

Standing side by side to solve global problems

At the first working session on Sunday, the G7 leaders discussed global economic issues. All the G7 countries were concerned about the crises they currently faced, said Scholz – falling growth rates in some countries, rising inflation, raw material shortages and supply chain disruption. These were by no means insignificant challenges, said the Federal Chancellor, which was why it was important to bear joint responsibility.

“The G7 is a good community in which to develop joint solutions in response to the challenges of our time. Here it is crucial for us to take action that is both decisive and united – the two go together,” said the Federal Chancellor.

Partnership for global infrastructure and investment

The G7 countries also stated clearly on the first day of the Summit that they wished to invest jointly in global infrastructure.

Together with US President Biden, Federal Chancellor Scholz presented the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment.

“The G7 are seeking to make the world a better place with a better infrastructure,” said the Federal Chancellor.

The G7 infrastructure initiative was building on strong regional initiatives such as the EU Global Gateway Initiative and the work of all G7 members, said Scholz – another example of close cooperation among the G7 countries.

“Progress towards an equitable world”

Further working sessions will deal with issues of investment in global infrastructure, foreign and security policy, and climate protection. The G7 Summit will also address the global consequences of the war in Ukraine: rising energy prices, the shortage of raw materials and the threat of worldwide famine. Nonetheless, many countries in the southern hemisphere are still struggling with the consequences of the pandemic. This is why the Federal Government has made a point of inviting influential representatives of the Global South to Elmau.

A strong, rules-based international order cannot be achieved without solidarity and cooperation among the world’s democracies – both within the G7 and beyond. Global partnerships and initiatives are needed to make real progress on the important challenges facing the world of the future. This is why the G7 members are not just keeping to themselves in Elmau: Germany has invited five partner countries to attend the Summit that stand for freedom and the rule of law: Argentina, India, Indonesia, Senegal and South Africa.

“Progress towards an equitable world” – this is the goal Germany set itself on taking over the G7 Presidency at the beginning of the year, laying out five areas of action to guide the work of the G7.

In addition to the partner countries, the following international organisations are participating this year: the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). The G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council (GEAC) is also represented. Photo: Federal Government