G7 agree to 'starve the Russian war machine'

While Zelensky meets with Saudi officials, the G7 leaders are having a working dinner at a ryokan in Hiroshima.

The traditional inns usually have communal baths, serve food and have rooms for relaxing.

Here's what's on the menu:

Delicacies of Seto / Muko Hassun

• Steamed Nomi oysters, with yuki caviar
• Marinated Japanese tiger prawn
• Genpei-yaki grilled bamboo shoots
• Toji-agé deep-fried higashi-gani crab, milt monaka, okra, corn

Ichiju Issai

• Clear soup with sea bream, matsutake mushrooms
• Arrowroot, bracken, green yuzu

Hirawan and Awasebachi

• Simmered stonefish, golden-simmered slipper lobster
• Winter melon, udo, samurai scallion

Tomezakana and Gohan

• Ajiro-grilled chicken grunt (a type of fish), red sea urchin and uruka eggplant
• Yoshiwa wasabi, Ayutade water pepper
• Anago eel sushi, flowering myoga, fresh ginger

Hiroshima Sweets

• Steamed Habutae of Bizen Dainagon Adzuki Beans and Wasanbon, flavoured with Seto soy sauce
• Momiji Manju steamed buns, Miyoshi-mai Kaminari rice crackers, Hassaku orange daifuku

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The map above shows the extensive travel Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has undertaken since Russia's invasion in February 2022 as he tries to garner political support for his country.

We've got new images of Ukraine's president meeting with Saudi officials after his plane touched down earlier.

In a message shared on Volodymyr Zelensky's Telegram account, the president said he would meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Zelensky also plans to speak at the Arab League summit.

Many people in Hiroshima and on Japanese social media have been reacting to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's socks.

At the working dinner between the UK and Japan last night, Sunak took off his shoes and stepped on to a tatami mat, revealing red socks with the logo of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.

The Carp is a Japanese professional baseball team based in Hiroshima and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is a big fan.

UK in JapanCopyright: UK in Japan

Japanese social media users said "the likability level exploded" and "I was surprised at how well-prepared the British were".

One sock shop in Hiroshima tweeted, "Can there be any happier news?" with a crying face emoji.

The British Embassy in Tokyo tweeted pictures of the two leaders gleefully pointing to Sunak's socks, saying "the two prime ministers are growing closer".

This is the moment the G7 leaders gathered on the final day of the summit to pose for a group 'family photo' in front of the Itsukushima shrine on Miyajima island, which is just off the coast of Hiroshima.

As the Group of Seven stood in line they appeared unsure whether to wave collectively, resulting in an awkward mix of waves, gestures and (in French President Emmanuel Macron's case) straight arms.

The two extra people stood next to the G7 leaders are European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Read more about the extra guests at this year's summit here.

With the leaders at dinner, let's pivot back to the Ukraine statement G7 released earlier.

It covers a range of issues and one that stands out is nuclear safety.

Here's a line taken from the first page of the six-page document.

Quote Message: Russia’s irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, undermining of arms control regimes, and stated intent to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus are dangerous and unacceptable."

Russia’s irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, undermining of arms control regimes, and stated intent to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus are dangerous and unacceptable."

The statement goes on to say the G7 "expressed their gravest concern over Russia’s grossly irresponsible seizure and militarisation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant".

The leaders agreed to continue supporting the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) efforts to strengthen nuclear safety and security in Ukraine.

The leaders of G7 have just taken their official 'family' picture.

Now, the group is heading to a traditional ryokan inn for a working dinner.

BBCCopyright: BBC

G7 leaders are now visiting the Itsukushima shrine on Miyajima island, which is just off the coast of Hiroshima.

One of the most famous tourist spots in Japan, it is known for its "floating" torii gate out on the water, where the leaders have posed for a picture as the sun sets

They were ferried across the bay to the 900-year-old shinto shrine, where the goddess of the sun and her brother are worshipped as deities to "ensure the well-being of the imperial family, guard the nation and protect seafarers", according to the shrine's website.

As the leaders walk around the shrine, musicians play a type of religious music known as gagaku that is normally played during special ceremonies.

It is a full-fledged display of tradition and pageantry, what Japan often does best.

Additional reporting by Sakiko Shiraishi.

This is the moment world leaders from the G7 (Group of Seven) nations gathered together to lay flowers at Hiroshima's peace memorial in Japan.

The wreaths were in tribute to victims of the World War Two atomic bomb attack on the city.

About 140,000 people were killed in the attack.

We're hearing more details now on G7's new sanctions against Russia.

In a statement, leaders from the Group of Seven nations said they would "starve Russia of G7 technology, industrial equipment and services that support its war machine".

The measures will restrict the export of items "critical to Russia on the battlefield".

Sanctions will also target groups accused of moving material to the front for Moscow.

Earlier, we reported the G7 had agreed on further sanctions against Moscow and had renewed its commitment to providing "financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support" to Ukraine.

We'll bring you more details on the specifics of these sanctions as we get them.

Earlier, Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would visit the G7 summit in Japan in person.

"The physical presence of our president is absolutely important in order to defend our interests," he said.

We've since heard that Zelensky will visit the Arab League in Saudi Arabia before heading to Japan. Indian media is also reporting that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Zelensky in Hiroshima, and Japanese media - quoting sources - say Zelensky will arrive on Saturday night.

However, a new official statement from Danilov's department (in Ukrainian) mentions only an online presence.

International summits are a curious mix of the theatrical, diplomatic and administrative. Firstly, their scale. They are a huge undertaking, with massive security.

Little wonder: a collection of world leaders, in the same place, at the same time, at a long before advertised event. And so the skies swarm with helicopters.

The streets are packed with lanyard wearing attendees, clutching their all-important accreditation for fear that without it, even crossing a road might prove impossible.

I spotted two of my colleagues in the travelling British press pack out on a jog earlier, in the driving rain. Shorts and T shirts on, yellow G7 lanyards still hanging around their necks.

Pity the poor residents of Hiroshima suddenly unable to take their normal route to work or wherever, because of road closures.

Then there is the theatre.

At the heart of politics are people. Personal relationships matter in politics and diplomacy just as they do in any other walk of life.

And politicians, in particular, have audiences back home to address, images to burnish and impressions to leave.

And so there are the theatrical moments, such as Rishi Sunak wearing the red socks of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp baseball team, whose fans include the host of the Summit - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Then, there is the diplomacy. In the weeks and months before a summit, diplomats for each country discuss their own outlooks and those of others, to try to find common ground.

These diplomats are known as sherpas. They lead the way to the Summit.

The political leaders then come together for a marathon series of talks – in big groups and one on one – and at the end, usually, what emerges is called a communique – the agreed conclusions.

Often broad, often vague, they attempt to take account of every country’s position, emphasis and focus, on various issues. The aim being ongoing discussions can build upon them.

Right, where’s my lanyard?

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As the G7 leaders agree on more sanctions against Moscow and get ready to welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Hiroshima, Russian officials are also getting ready to meet with their allies.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is visiting China on 23 - 24 May, with the Dutch Deputy Prime Minister Wopke Hoekstra also visiting next week.