G7 leaders call for 'world without nuclear weapons' -statement

U.S. President Joe Biden, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council Charles Michel, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France's President Emmanuel Macron and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attend a working dinner session during G7 leaders' summit in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima prefecture, western Japan May 19, 2023, in this handout photo released by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan/HANDOUT via REUTERS

Leaders of the Group of Seven rich nations called on Friday for a "world without nuclear weapons," urging Russia, Iran, China and North Korea to cease nuclear escalation and embrace non-proliferation, a statement released by the White House showed.

Russia's nuclear rhetoric and stated intent to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus "are dangerous and unacceptable," and Russia should return to full implementation of New START treaty, the leaders said in the statement.

(Reporting by Rami Ayyub and Katharine Jackson; Editing by Doina Chiacu)