Sunday 26 June 2022 10:27 AM Biden kicks off first day at G7 meeting with German chancellor trends now
President Joe Biden on Sunday began his first day at the G7 summit by praising the German chancellor and promising that Western leaders will stay united against Vladimir Putin.
'Thank you thank you... we have to stay together,' he told Olaf Scholz as they looked out at the stunning mountain view at Schloss Elmau, the grand setting for the summit.
'Because Putin is counting on from the beginning that NATO and the G7 would splinter. But we haven't and we're not going to.'
Russia and Ukraine will dominate the summit, as G7 leaders assess how well sanctions are working. They will also discuss the world's worsening economic climate.
The timing of the summit could not be more timely with Ukrainian forces losing ground in the east of the country, and rockets falling on the capital Kyiv for the first time in three weeks.
Scholz was waiting for Biden at a pavilion with panoramic Alpine views when Biden arrived on the decking.
The two leaders took a moment to soak up the setting before sitting down to discuss the day's agenda.
'Don't jump,' Biden joked to Scholz when he saw him standing at the scenic deck overlook, the mountains visible in the distance. He removed his signature aviator sunglasses and shook Scholz hand, telling him 'good to see you.'
President Joe Biden started his first day at the G7 meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed staying together on Russia's war against Ukraine
The president will spend the day in formal and informal meeting with the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the European Union.
Russia and its war in the Ukraine will 'be at the top of the list' of agenda items, a senior administration official said of the day.
'We're going to continue working on the economic challenges we face,' Biden said.
As the G7 leaders gathered in Germany, Russia ramped up its attacks in the Ukraine. Russian forces attacked the capital of Kyiv for the first time in weeks, striking at least two residential buildings.
The fallout from the invasion will on the agenda. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky will virtually address the G7 on Monday.
The first formal session for the leaders of the world's seven largest economies will be the economy and the high food and gas prices that have resulted from both the invasion of the Ukraine and the world emerging from the covid pandemic.
Like the United States, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom are battling record-high
