G7 kicks off with strong condemnation of Russian invasion of Ukraine

The leaders of G7 advanced economies, on Friday, resolved to stand against Russia's "illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked" invasion of Ukraine and unveiled new sanctions on Moscow, in an indication that they would maintain their tough approach on the conflict at the G20 summit in India as well.

The G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Delhi in March was unable to come out with a joint communique due to a bitterly increasing rift between the US-led Western powers and Russia over the Ukraine conflict despite efforts by host India to bridge the differences.

On the first day of the G7 summit in Hiroshima, US President Joe Biden and other leaders of the grouping strongly condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and vowed to step up economic sanctions on Moscow.

The G7 comprises the US, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Canada and Japan. Japan, the current chair of the grouping, invited India and seven other countries to the summit.

All the G7 countries are also members of the G20 grouping. India is holding the presidency of the G20.

India has been focusing on ensuring consensus for a joint communique at the G20 summit in September. The G20 also comprises Russia and China.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Hiroshima on Friday to attend three sessions at the G7 summit.