Boris Johnson could fly to America late June for rescheduled G7 summit
Boris Johnson could fly to America late next month to attend a rescheduled G7 summit as it emerged the Japanese prime minster Shinzo Abe is willing to go in person.
Donald Trump, the US president, wants the meeting of the leaders of the world’s major economies to go ahead as a sign of progress in the fight against coronavirus.
Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, said on Tuesday that the summit, if it happens, will take place “probably more towards the end of June”.
That would be later than the June 10 to 12 meeting originally scheduled before it was moved to a virtual summit as the Covid-19 outbreak surged in attendee countries.
It is understood that world leaders plan to make a decision collectively about whether to take up Mr Trump’s offer of a new in-person summit next month.
Mr Abe’s position that he is willing to attend if circumstances allow has triggered media discussion about whether he would have to self-isolate for a fortnight afterwards.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, last week said he was willing to attend. Nothing has yet been announced confirming the summit will go ahead.
Mr Johnson, who caught coronavirus so seriously that he spent time in intensive care, is yet to confirm he would attend, with spokesmen saying he will follow the official guidance.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: "We continue to be in close contact with the US in the run-up to the summit and we are looking at the detail of what they are proposing.”
The annual summit was planned to take place at Camp David, the US president’s retreat in Maryland, but is now expected to happen mainly at the White House if it goes ahead.
The member nations of the ‘Group of Seven’ are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
