Meloni welcomes international leaders to Borgo Egnazia resort.

The 2024 G7 summit in Puglia begins on Thursday, with Premier Giorgia Meloni welcoming international leaders to the Borgo Egnazia resort.

During the three-day event, G7 leaders are expected to announce an agreement on using profits from frozen Russian assets to establish a fund of approximately 50 to 60 billion euros for Ukraine. While Washington has been a strong advocate for this initiative, European nations have approached it more cautiously due to the legal complexities involved.

The Middle East crisis will also be a major focus of the summit. Additionally, under the Italian presidency, the G7 is emphasizing issues related to migration and relations with developing nations. The aim is to foster a cooperation model based on mutually beneficial partnerships, moving away from the paternalistic or predatory approaches of the past, with particular attention to engagement with African states.

Artificial Intelligence is another key topic on the agenda. In a historic first, Pope Francis will attend the summit on Friday. The pontiff is set to discuss the need for ethical AI and efforts to promote peace. Photo by Governo italiano, Wikimedia commons.