Olaf Scholz confirms G7 leaders to attend upcoming G20 summit despite Putin's presence

In a significant development, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that Group of Seven (G7) leaders would attend upcoming G20 summit despite Russia's President Vladimir Putin's participation.  German Chancellor confirmed this while addressing final press conference of three-day G7 summit in Bavarian Alps. "re was a great deal of agreement here that we do t want to let G7 drift apart," Scholz remarked, as per DPA news ncy. tably, G20 summit is slated to be held in Indonesia in vember. 

During summit, G7 leaders also vowed to continue assisting Ukraine and stated that y would explore possibility of capping Russia's income from oil sales that are financing war. In ir final declaration, y also reaffirmed ir intention to subject Russia to furr "severe and immediate ecomic penalties". “We remain steadfast in our commitment to our unprecedented coordination on sanctions for as long as necessary, acting in unison at every st,” leaders said, Associated Press (AP) reported. 

G7 decides to ban  import of Russian gold

G7 leaders also decided to prohibit import of Russian gold and to increase aid to nations suffering from food shorts as a result of blockade on grain supplies from Ukraine through Black Sea. German Chancellor Scholz, host of summit, defended G7's decision to relax its pledge to halt public support for fossil fuel investments. According to him, time-limited support for new natural gas production projects may be required due to conflict in Ukraine. Furr, G7 leaders also condemned Russian missile strike on a shopping mall in Ukraine's Kremenchuk city, and termed it a "war crime".

Boycotting G20 summit would harm NATO & EU: Russian senator

Earlier on June 27, a senior Russian senator claimed that boycotting G20 meeting over Moscow's presence would prove to be detrimental to rth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and European Union (EU). Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Speaker of Russia's Federation Council, also asserted that NATO-EU-led G20 boycott would fail for sure. According to reports, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for boycotting summit if Russian President Putin attends it.

Im: AP