Why G7 summit may prove critics wrong

IT IS commonly argued that big multilateral summits rarely matter; however, the recent Group of Seven (G7) summit in Japan may prove the detractors wrong.

The G7 took a series of key decisions that may have strong ramifications in the coming years. This, too, as the club of leading Western economies intensified its transition towards becoming a major geopolitical actor.

One of the biggest potential “forks in the road” here was the decision, more than 450 days into the Ukraine war, for the G7 to reverse its opposition to giving F-16 fighters to Kyiv. This may indicate stronger, longer-term commitment to the war, not least because it will take many months, if not years, to fully train a critical mass of Ukraine’s pilots to use the jets.