G7 summit kicks off under shadow of Ukraine war, economic crisis

(From foreground C-R, clockwise) Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and France's President Emmanuel Macron have taken seat on a round table for their first working session on June 26, 2022 at Elmau Castle, southern Germany, where the German Chancellor hosts a summit of the Group of Seven rich nations (G7) AFP - JOHN MACDOUGALL

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has welcomed leaders of the Group of Seven rich democracies to a three-day summit in the Bavarian Alps overshadowed by the war in Ukraine and its far-reaching consequences, from energy shortages to a food crisis.

Sunday's summit takes place against a darker backdrop than last year when the British, Canadian, French, German, Italian, Japanese and U.S. leaders met for the first time since before the Covid-19 pandemic and vowed to build back better.