"We have to stay together," Biden told Merkel's successor Olaf Scholz, the host of the three-day gathering. Seeking to turn up the heat on Moscow, the G7 announced it would outlaw imports of Russian gold. The United States said gold was the second largest export for Russia and a significant source of revenue for Putin and his allies. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron said they now saw an "opportunity to turn the tide" in Ukraine. As the gulf separating Western allies from Russia and China widens, the G7 sought to rally other major players to its side with a major global infrastructure plan.

Source: Manila Times June 27, 2022 03:29 UTC