Group of Seven Summit Kicks Off in Italian Town of Taormina on Friday

The Group of Seven (G7) leaders' annual summit will start on Friday in the Sicily's town of Taormina with heads of states and governments expected to discuss key global political and economic issues.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Taormina was firstly announced as the possible hosting town of the 2017 summit of the leaders of Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States in May 2016 by then Italian Foreign Minister Matteo Renzi. The final decision to hold the summit in Taormina was confirmed by Renzi in late October 2016.

The summit will also be attended by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, according to his spokesman Stephane Dujarric. European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will also take part in the summit.

SUMMIT'S AGENDA

The theme of the Italian G7 presidency is 'Building the foundations of renewed trust' with the focus on state policies meeting the citizens' expectations. The G7 leaders will focus on such issues as citizens' safety, economic, environmental and social sustainability, reduction of inequalities as well as innovation, skills and labor.

A high-ranking source in the German delegation to the G7 summit told Sputnik that participants of the meeting would discuss their policy toward Russia, particularly, the possibility of work with Russia on a partnership basis "if Russia respects the global international order."

According to an EU source, the bloc expects the G7 leaders to reaffirm their position on the West's anti-Russian sanctions introduced in 2014 over the alleged Russian role in the Ukrainian conflict.

The G7 leaders will also focus on fighting against terrorism.  Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said he regarded the summit as an opportunity to reaffirm the joint commitment to fighting terrorism following the attack in the UK city of Manchester.

BOOSTED SECURITY MEASURES

The Italian authorities decided to strengthen the security measures in the country after the attack in Manchester but did not raise the level of terrorist threat in the country.

Earlier this month, Italian police chief Franco Gabrielli said that the Sicily ports would be closed during the G7 summit.

About 8,000 law enforcement employees have been sent to Sicily to boost security, prevent terror and cyberattacks, the Il Corriere della Sera newspaper reported, adding that a group of US experts would take part in ensuring the summit’s cybersecurity.