May 20—Today in Japan, the drums of war and economic conflict beat loudly for the leaders of the Group of Seven and eight guest nations attending the second of the three day G7 Summit in Hiroshima.
Ukraine President Zelenskyy flew in early, with great fanfare on a French government jet, for individual meetings with heads of state, and a formal presentation at the conclusion of the G7 tomorrow. U.S. President Biden and European leaders confirmed their backing for Ukraine receiving F-16 fighter jets, and for rush-training of Ukraine pilots. The G7 leaders officially released their 44-page “G7 Hiroshima Leaders Joint Communiqué” pledging military backing for Ukraine “as long as it takes,” and a host of other NATO narratives and decrees from on high.
From Russia, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko denounced the F-16 move as a “colossal mistake” by the Western leaders.
In tandem with the G7 militarization moves, came belligerence in the economic sphere. The featured concept is that the G7 will combat “economic coercion” wherever it appears, meaning from China and Russia. This and related tactics are discussed in the 66 points in the Communiqué, and in six “Reference Documents” issued alongside it. The text states, “We express serious concern over economic coercion and call on all countries to refrain from its use … [as it] infringes upon the international order centered on respect for sovereignty and the rule of law….” The U.S. Treasury on May 19 announced 300 new sanctions against Russia and third party evaders wherever they may be, saying that this is “in line with the G7.”
Today, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued an official reproach, stating that the United States is the one responsible for economic coercion in the world, by engaging in “massive unilateral sanctions and acts of ‘decoupling’ and disrupting industrial and supply chains.” The statement asserted, “Gone are the days when a handful of Western countries can just willfully meddle in other countries’ internal affairs and manipulate global affairs.”
The truth of this assessment is reflected in the large meetings of heads of state that have just concluded elsewhere, where new initiatives are underway to oppose economic warfare, and explicitly commit to peace, even to creating “zones of peace” in the world, and zones of economic betterment. This is acutely required in locations experiencing years of Global NATO occupation, as in Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Syria. The 22-nation Arab League ended its Summit May 19 in Saudi Arabia, issuing a “Jeddah Declaration.”
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who attended, said yesterday in his address to the group, that this is an “historic opportunity.” He said, “I hope that it marks the beginning of a new phase of Arab action for solidarity among us, for peace in our region, development and prosperity instead of war and destruction.”
In China yesterday, six Presidents from Central Asia and China together at Xi’an, at the conclusion of the first-ever Summit of China and Central Asia, held a joint press conference, stating that their meeting marked “the beginning” of a new phase of the Belt and Road Initiative. Their Xi’an Declaration commits to dramatic, new economic development plans that will support a thriving Central Asia-China “community of peace.”
These are welcome, happy events. But we face an epic world crisis because, as is seen now in Hiroshima, the G7 and Global NATO militarization and madness has reached the point of provoking, or accidentally setting off, a nuclear holocaust.
It is time for everyone, anywhere, to act. Sign and circulate the Schiller Institute statement:
