Merkel says Biden brought 'new momentum' to G7 talks

CARBIS BAY: US President Joe Biden has brought "new momentum" to G7 efforts to tackle global challenges, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday as the three-day summit wrapped up in Cornwall, southwestern England.

"It's not like the world no longer has any problems because of the election of Joe Biden as US president," Merkel told reporters.

"But we can work on solutions to those problems with new momentum. And I think it's very good that we have become more concrete at this G7."

The G7 gathering of leading economies was Biden's first as US president and touted as an opportunity to rebuild ties after the discord of Donald Trump's four years in power.

The summit focused heavily on the pandemic fallout and climate change.

Merkel said Biden's decision to bring the US back to the Paris agreement had made G7 climate discussions "much easier".

Merkel, who held one-on-one talks with Biden during the Cornwall gathering, has been invited to visit the White House on July 15.

The G7 summit was Merkel's 15th and final one as German chancellor. The veteran leader plans to step down after a general election in September.

Asked whether she had been given any special mementoes by her G7 peers to mark her swan song, Merkel said she had "received well-wishes, not gifts".