Ajit Karn
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be a major topic of discussion at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, according to Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor for the US, as the conflict in Kiev continues to escalate.
Wednesday aboard Air Force One, in response to media questions, Sullivan stated, “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be a major topic of conversation. There will be discussions regarding the battlefield situation.”
During the press briefing, he stated, “There will be discussions about the current state of sanctions and the steps that the G7 will collectively commit to on enforcement, ensuring that we are shutting down evasion networks and closing sanctions loopholes so that the impact is amplified in the coming months.”
Regarding the US President’s meeting with the QUAD leaders, who will be present in Hiroshima for the G7 Summit, Sullivan stated, “President felt it was vital that he be at the G7 because this particular format is so central to getting alignment and convergence with key countries — including, by the way, the countries in the Quad, because both Australia and India will be in Hiroshima, and he will have the opportunity to engage with them there — that was a vitiating
Recently, Vice President Joe Biden canceled his trip to Australia and Papua New Guinea.
“President Biden will return to the United States on Sunday, following the conclusion of the G7 summit, in order to confer with congressional leaders to ensure that action is taken to avert default by the deadline. The President informed Prime Minister Albanese of the postponement of his voyage to Australia earlier today. In addition, he extended an invitation to the Prime Minister for an official state visit at a time determined by the teams. The team of the President informed the team of the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, according to a statement by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Continuing the press briefing on Biden’s visit to Hiroshima, the US NSA stated that the US President’s Japan visit would begin with a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
“The President will begin his engagements in Hiroshima with a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Kishida, during which they will review the extraordinary progress made in the alliance over the past two years, building on President Kishida’s January visit to Washington,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan added that the President will co-host an event on the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, where “we will review the previous year’s progress, including the announcement of new investments and deals.”
Sullivan added that he will evaluate a broader expansion of work with the private sector, including the participation of very senior private-sector representatives, so that public investment facilitates private investment to propel infrastructure development in the developing world.
Earlier, White House spokesperson for national security John Kirby stated that Vice President Biden would depart for Japan on Wednesday as planned, but that a subsequent stop in Australia would be reevaluated.
“We’re working through, thinking through, the rest of the trip right now,” Kirby said, noting that Biden would encounter India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australia’s Anthony Albanese at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan regardless.
“We are currently reevaluating the remainder of the voyage. Changes to the remainder of the voyage will be communicated appropriately. “Given the current state of affairs, it is also extremely prudent and responsible for the President to examine the remainder of his trip and determine whether it makes sense moving forward,” said Kirby.
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“We’ll see how it develops…After the G7 summit, we will reevaluate the remainder of the week and see where it goes. If the trip is shortened, altered, or modified in any way, it should be nothing more than a statement of where the President believes his priorities to be,” said Kirby.
