G-7 leaders to discuss pandemic in video call today
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Mr Donald Trump had planned to hold the summit at Camp David, Maryland, but moved it to a virtual setting due to the virus.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON • US President Donald Trump will hold a video teleconference with the Group of Seven (G-7) leaders today to coordinate national responses to the coronavirus outbreak, the White House has said.
Mr Trump, who is head of the G-7 this year, had planned to hold this year's summit at the presidential retreat of Camp David, Maryland, in June, but moved it to a virtual setting due to the virus.
The G-7 nations comprise the United States, France, Britain, Italy, Canada, Japan and Germany, and all seven of them have been hit hard by the virus.
Mr Trump spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday about the G-7 teleconference and "efforts to defeat the coronavirus pandemic and reopen world economies", White House spokesman Judd Deere said.
"Working together, the G-7 is taking a whole-of-society approach to tackle the crisis across multiple areas, including health, finance, humanitarian assistance, and science and technology," Mr Deere said.
Today's session is a follow-up to a March 16 video conference, the first time G-7 leaders had met in that format, to go over efforts to defeat the coronavirus.
In addition to this week's meeting, another session is expected next month to lay the groundwork for the June video conference.
REUTERS