US President Joe Biden is not going to attend a joint dinner with the other leaders of the seven advanced industrialized democracies attending the G7 summit in southern Italy on Thursday evening, the White House said in advance.
Washington did not give a reason for Biden's absence but he was due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the evening to sign a security agreement with him and hold a joint press conference.
Italian President Sergio Matterella invited the G7 participants to the dinner at the castle in the harbour city of Brindisi.
Biden came to the summit after a state visit to France to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy during World War II. He then flew back briefly to the US.
He is due to leave the summit before it ends officially on Friday evening in order to attend a fundraising event for his campaign. Biden is running for re-election in November.