Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies agreed on an outline deal on Thursday to provide $50 billion of loans for Ukraine using interest from Russian sovereign assets frozen after Moscow invaded its neighbour in 2022.

The political agreement was the centrepiece of the opening day in southern Italy of the annual summit of G7 leaders, attended for a second successive year by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Italy’s parliament brawl highlights tension amid G7 summit

In Italy’s parliament, a heated debate over a government proposal turned physical, resulting in an opposition lawmaker being hospitalised. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening amid criticism by opponents for potentially worsening poverty in southern regions. The altercation resulted in an opposition lawmaker being hospitalised.

During the annual Group of Seven (G-7) summit in Puglia, Italy, violent scenes from the parliamentary brawl spread widely, prompting regret from Italian officials. The summit, spanning from Thursday to Saturday, gathers leaders from the European Union and six other industrialised nations, including President Biden. Discussions will focus around critical global issues, notably the war in Ukraine.