Ukraine, Greek bailout and climate top agenda for Bavaria meeting
Russia remains excluded from the G7 as punishment for its encouragement last year of the rebellion in eastern Ukraine. Vladimir Putin has said the conflict in Ukraine was the result of “unprofessional actions” of the US, and opinion remains divided on the extent to which sanctions, as opposed to a lower oil price, is hurting the Russian economy.
The US secretary of state, John Kerry, recently travelled to Sochi for direct talks with Putin in what was seen as a sign of potential softening, but nothing tangible occurred, and if anything the fragile ceasefire in Ukraine is under greater pressure than ever.
Obama rang the Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, before the summit and the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, visited Ukraine on the way to the summit in a sign of solidarity.