The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has topped the agenda as the leaders of the world’s richest countries gathered for the annual G7 summit.
The German chancellor welcomed world leaders to the meeting in the Bavarian alps.
Russia has been excluded this year because of its annexation of Crimea and the US president put standing up to Russian agression in Ukraine among his key points up for discussion.
Other important issues, he says, are maintaining a strong and prosperous European Union, forging new trade partnerships across the Atlantic and combating a variety of threats from violent extremism to climate change.
The US, Britain and Germany hope for an agreement that will offer support to EU member states to help them maintain sanctions on Moscow, which are hurting the Russian economy.
The Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives at the summit fresh from an historic first visit to Ukraine where he has been spearheading the global efforts to resolve the crisis.
The British Prim
