The G7 Summit concluded with a joint communique, which stated that the G7 nations would support Ukraine “for as long as it takes” in face of Russia’s act of aggression.
By
MAHDI MUHAMMAD, KRIS MADA, MAWAR KUSUMA WULAN
·4 minutes read
AP/KYODO NEWS
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, fourth left, and G7 leaders pose for a photo before a working session on Ukraine during the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, Sunday, May 21, 2023. G7 leaders from left to right, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Zelenskyy, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Council President Charles Michel.
HIROSHIMA, SUNDAY – The Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, ended on Sunday (21/5/2023). The meeting concluded with a joint communique, which stated that the G7 nations would support Ukraine “for as long as it takes” in face of Russia’s act of aggression. The communique also included a new strategy of de-risking as a substitute for decoupling against China.
Out of the 66-point statement in the 40-page document, as well as other supporting documents, there is not much mention of the anxiousness developing countries are experiencing. Japan, as this year’s G7 chair, had invited several leaders of developing countries that make up the “Global South”, such as Australia, Brazil, Indonesia and smaller countries, such as the Comoros and Cook Islands.
At the G7 leaders’ forum, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo urged the abolition of monopolistic and discriminatory policies against developing countries’ commodities, including policies in the name of environmental protection. While citing the need to end the “era of colonialism” model, at the sixth session of the G7 Outreach Summit on Saturday, he demanded “equal and inclusive global collaboration” and rejected a global system that allowed developing countries to only export raw materials.
“Every country has the right to development. Moreover, the right to process natural resources for added value must be respected,” said Jokowi, conveyed by Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi. “We are past the age of developing countries being only raw material exporters, as it was in the era of colonialism.”
Indonesia requests that the right of developing countries to increase the added value of their natural resources be respected. The right to develop, improve the welfare and increase the added value of natural resources is important for developing and poor countries. All of these rights lead to efforts to improve the welfare of people in these nations. The wellbeing of these people is essential if they are to contribute to regional and global peace and stability. Jokowi’s statement, according to Retno, was delivered “directly and straightforwardly”.
In the G7 leaders’ communique, however, the concerns of developing countries received little response. It was only mentioned that minerals are important for energy transition. Without mentioning any specific country, the G7 stated there was an attempt to monopolize the mineral supply to the global market. The G7 members are said to be building a more inclusive supply chain of essential minerals.
AP/SUSAN WALSH
President Joe Biden watches as Indonesian President Joko Widodo, left, speaks at an event on global infrastructure and investment during the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, Saturday, May 20, 2023.
Unlimited time
One of the most notable results of the G7 Summit this time was the unlimited support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion. The G7’s ongoing commitment to Ukraine was also conveyed directly to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who attended the summit.
This was a significant commitment that Zelensky made during his two days in Hiroshima. In the last week, he visited several allied countries in Europe, from Italy and Germany to the United Kingdom and France. He was also present at the Arab League Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, last Friday.
United States President Joe Biden stated that developed countries would not leave nor allow Ukraine to collapse.
Zelensky’s attendance in Hiroshima earned him additional ammunition, artillery, air defense systems, armored vehicles and access to training for F-16 fighter jet pilots. The latter is viewed as the foundation for wider access, namely the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to balance out Russia’s military air power.
Zelensky also met with several heads of state, including President Jokowi. During the meeting, Zelensky echoed Indonesia’s desire to act as a bridge for peace with Russia. Apart from food issues, their meeting also discussed humanitarian assistance, including a commitment to contribute to the improvement of a hospital in Ukraine.
Relations with China
We do not want to separate ourselves from China. We want to eliminate risk and diversify,
Another issue that was discussed at the G7 Summit was relations with China, the country with the second-strongest economy in the world. The communique said that the G7 would coordinate a new approach to maintaining global economic resilience and security based on diversification and de-risking, rather than decoupling. “We do not want to separate ourselves from China. We want to eliminate risk and diversify,” said Biden.
In response to the results of the G7 Summit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the meeting for what he claimed was isolating China and Russia. “Their plans have been revealed, not only to defeat Russia on the battlefield but also to remove it from the geopolitical competition,” he said.
China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry also protested against the G7. “The G7 continues to manipulate issues concerning China, damaging its reputation and attacking it,” Beijing said in a statement on Saturday. (AP/AFP/REUTERS)
