The Leader podcast: G7 countries’ united front against Putin

Behind the Alpine glad-handing at this year’s G7 summit is an agenda packed with discussion points focussing on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Leaders of the world’s seven wealthiest nations will look to reach consensus on how to deal with the war’s impact on global food and energy supply, all with the spectre of Covid’s re-emergence looming large.

At Schloss Elmau, in the Bavarian Alps, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky beamed in virtually to appeal for weapons and shore up support.It comes as Russian missiles struck the capital Kyiv over the weekend, the first attacks in three weeks.

Ahead of the G7 summit, US president Joe Biden also unveiled a financial package aimed at addressing health, climate and energy security, gender inequality and digital connectivity.

So, why is this G7 summit so critical? And what happens behind the scenes in those corridor stop-and-chats?

After awkwardness at Nato in March, Prime Minister Boris Johnson did his best not to be pictured alone again at a summit, and cracked a joke about Vladmir Putin’s pectoral muscles to colleagues.

To help us unpick the policy nuance of this year’s event, we’re joined by Evening Standard deputy political editor David Bond.