G7 reassures Ukraine on NATO bid, frets over threat to UN in Lebanon
World
G7 reassures Ukraine on NATO bid, frets over threat to UN in Lebanon
NAPLES, Italy (Reuters) - Defence ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) wealthy democracies on Saturday backed Ukraine's "irreversible" path to NATO membership and expressed concern over threats to United Nations peacekeepers targeted by Israel in Lebanon.
The first ever gathering of G7 defence ministers took place as Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah exchanged fire, with one drone directed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's holiday home, according to his spokesperson.
Italy holds the G7 rotating presidency for 2024 while the West also grapples with the Russian advance in Ukraine and China's military activities around Taiwan, as well as heightened tensions along the border of North and South Korea.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, who hosted the meeting in the southern city of Naples, told reporters the G7 could not solve global tensions alone, but needed to stimulate action across the international community.
"The G7 must be like a gadfly that has the strength to sting the rest of the world," he said at a news conference.
Along with Italy, the G7 includes the United States, Canada, France, Germany and Britain. Representatives of NATO, the European Union and the Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov also joined the talks.
In an earlier speech to kick off the meeting, Crosetto warned of a "deteriorated security
