President Joe Biden kicked off his first international trip as commander in chief at the G7 summit yesterday. He ended the three-day meeting with a new focus, pledging to join forces with the other leaders in taking a stronger stance against global issues.
French President Emmanuel Macron, among others, praised Biden’s message and emphasized the need for unity.
“What we need is cooperation, and I think it’s great to have the U.S. President part of the club and very willing to cooperate,” said Macron.
The group discussed support for a global minimum tax, a transition to clean energy, and contributing at least one billion COVID-19 vaccines to the rest of the world. The leaders are also calling for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 after a previous report was deemed insufficient due to China’s refusal to cooperate.
Today, Biden is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the strained relations between the U.S. and Russia. Biden remains hopeful the two countries will find a way to work together.