Britain hosts first G7 foreign ministers meeting since start of pandemic

FILE PHOTO: Yael Lempert, charge d'affaires at U.S. Embassy, London and John Holloway, UK representative from the Foreign and Commonwealth office, greet U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at Stansted Airport, outside London, Britain May 2, 2021. Ben Stansall/Pool via REUTERS

LONDON (Reuters) - Foreign ministers of the G7 rich countries gather in London on Monday for their first in-person meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with British host Dominic Raab opening with talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The week is billed by Britain, which holds the group's rotating presidency, as a chance to reassert the West's influence and address issues such as the coronavirus recovery, climate change and how to deal with China and Russia.