ELMAU, Germany – The latest on the G-7 summit, the annual meeting of the leading democratic economies, this year held in the Bavarian Alps in Germany; and during the NATO summit in Madrid, where the leaders began gathering late Tuesday:
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The group of seven leaders agreed to spend $4.5 billion to tackle global food security problems exacerbated by soaring food and grain costs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The White House said Tuesday that the United States is investing $2.76 billion in the effort. Funds will be used to support 47 countries and regional organizations to deal with food insecurity and malnutrition.
The White House says the most immediate need is in the Horn of Africa, where Russia’s grain blockade from Ukraine has worsened an already desperate situation. The Horn of Africa is experiencing a fourth consecutive drought, with about 20 million people facing the risk of starvation by the end of the year, the White House said.
The Biden administration said in a statement that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions “strangled agricultural and food production, and used food as a weapon of war.”
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS:
– Zelenskyy told G-7 summit Ukrainian forces face urgent moment
– AP interview: Spain’s prime minister says NATO summit to show unity
– NATO holds summit with interest of Russia – and China
– The story of 2 summits: ‘America backs up’ for America to slide
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OTHER DEVELOPMENT:
ISTANBUL – The Turkish president said he spoke with US President Joe Biden on Tuesday morning and could meet him at this week’s NATO summit in Spain.
The White House said Biden was “looking forward” to meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Madrid.
Erdogan said at a news conference in Ankara before departing for Spain that Biden “expressed a desire to meet again tonight or tomorrow and we said “maybe”.
Erdogan said the pair would discuss Turkey’s request for upgraded F-16s but said there were “diversion tactics” being deployed. He didn’t make it clear.
Erdogan is angry with US military bases in Greece and says the US has deliberately purchased Russian-made S-400 missiles from Turkey – a step that led to Ankara starting a counter-aircraft program. F-35 stealth force.
Erdogan confirmed he plans to meet the leaders of Sweden and Finland, along with the NATO Secretary-General, to continue discussing Turkey’s objection to the two Nordic countries becoming NATO members.
Ankara has opposed Sweden and Finland’s attempts to join NATO, citing it as its lax approach to groups that Turkey considers a national security threat, including The Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, and its extension in Syria. U.S. support for Kurdish fighters in Syria in fighting the Islamic State group has also angered Turkey for years.
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Western leaders were “working on” a plan to free millions of tons of grain trapped in war-torn Ukraine by the Russian invasion.
Huge amounts of corn and other grains are stuck in Ukraine – one of the world’s biggest producers – and because Russian forces have blocked off the country’s ports.
When asked by reporters at the start of Tuesday’s meeting at the Group of Seven summit what they did to solve the problem, Johnson said officials were trying to find a solution.
“We’re all working on that,” Johnson said.
His comments came at the start of a meeting with US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
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US President Joe Biden will leave the Group of 7 summit in Germany earlier than expected due to bad weather.
Biden was scheduled to speak at the closing session of Tuesday’s meeting of leaders of advanced economies before flying by helicopter to Munich. From there, he will fly via Air Force One to Madrid for the NATO summit.
But the White House announced that with fog, low cloud conditions and the possibility of thunderstorms near the summit venue, Biden would have to travel by motorbike part of the way to Munich.
Before his early departure, Mr. Biden met with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and summit host Olaf Scholz.
After arriving in Madrid, the US President is scheduled to meet privately with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VI and participate in the opening dinner of the NATO summit.
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The Group of Seven Advanced Economies is concluding a summit aimed at demonstrating its enduring commitment to Ukraine’s future, as its war with Russia continues.
The talks in Germany, which are coming to an end on Tuesday, want to ensure that Russia pays dearly for its invasion. The goal is also to reduce global hunger and show solidarity against climate change.
The leaders of the US, Germany, France, Italy, Britain, Canada and Japan on Monday pledged to support Ukraine “in time of need.”
Late on Tuesday, attention turned to Spain, the site of a two-day NATO summit in Madrid.
The leaders of the world’s most powerful military alliance opened discussions on Wednesday about increasing support for Ukraine against Russia and beefing up forces on NATO’s eastern flank.
They also plan to set priorities for the next decade, with a new focus on examining China’s growing international ambitions.
