BARI, Italy, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Heavy security measures are being implemented in Italy ahead of the Group of Seven (G7) summit to be held in the southern Apulia region on June 13-15.

 

Some 1,500 extra troops have been deployed across the country, adding to some 6,800 troops already involved in security operations leading up to the event. Border controls have been temporarily reinforced at all land, air and sea entry points -- including those with countries in the Schengen area. Extra checks will be in place around sensitive targets in the provinces of Bari and Brindisi until 2 p.m. local time (0000 GMT) on June 18.

 

The summit will be hosted at Borgo Egnazia, a resort near the town of Fasano, and will bring together the leaders of the G7 (Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, and Japan), as well as the heads of the European Union (EU) Council and Commission.

 

The agenda of this summit includes six working sessions about African development and climate change, the situation in the Middle East, the Ukraine-Russia conflict, migration, the Indo-Pacific region, and a special session focusing on artificial intelligence and energy.

 

The G7 leaders are expected to agree on a plan to freeze billions of U.S. dollars in Russian assets and use the money to financially support Ukraine.

 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will preside over the summit, which starts on Thursday. Local commentators said hosting the G7 represents a high point in the career of the 47-year-old leader.

 

"Without a doubt, Meloni's parabola has only been going up over the last several years," Oreste Massari, a professor of political science at Rome's Sapienza University, told Xinhua.

 

Since assuming office two years ago, Meloni's government has increased Italy's influence within the EU, putting key Italian issues like migration and energy independence squarely on the European agenda.

 

Last week, her party, the Brothers of Italy, upped its share of the vote to 29 percent in the European Parliament elections, even as ruling coalitions in other European countries underperformed at the polls. This prompted Meloni to boast that Italy has "the strongest government in the G7."

 

Massari told Xinhua that Meloni's rise is due to two broad factors: an overall rise in the fortunes of right-wing and nationalist parties across Europe and beyond, and Meloni's knack for balancing the extreme rhetoric of an opposition party with the realities of building a political consensus and running a government.

 

Given that the European Parliament elections have seen a rise in extreme right across Europe, as well as a surge of political violence in recent months, security is a major concern for the G7 summit in Italy.

 

According to the Italian financial newspaper "Il Sole 24 Ore," some 20,000 people are expected to attend, with around 1,300 journalists participating in the event.

 

Representatives from 10 other countries, including Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, India, Jordan, Kenya, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, have also been invited to take part in the talks. Meanwhile, international bodies attending will include the United Nations, the African Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

 

From Wednesday until Sunday, civilians -- including residents -- will only be allowed to enter the central areas of the host town with a specific security badge. Restrictions will also be placed on civil and commercial flights at Taranto, Bari, and Brindisi airports until June 16, and the airspace over Brindisi (the closest to the summit) will be completely closed from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. local time (0500 GMT--2100 GMT) on June 13.