The Hiroshima Peace Memorial - the Genbaku Dome - was the only structure left standing after the USA dropped the world's first atomic bomb on Japan on the 6th of August 1945. It was in front of this ruin that G7 leaders posed last week for a photo-opportunity, with smug grins on their faces.

    They had all just shaken hands with Vladimir Zelenskyy and agreed to supply more weapons to him, in order to escalate their proxy war which has pitted a devastated Ukraine's civilians and army against Russia. Yes, this was these world leaders' tribute to peace - a tribute of the most gruesome hypocrisy - obscene and repugnant.

    US president Joe Biden made sure that everyone understood that American imperialism is the "boss" when it comes to this war, by finally giving "his permission" for the supply of F-16 jets to Ukraine. Underlining that NATO has only one real puppet-master.

    British PM Rishi Sunak, representing fading British imperialism tweeted to say: "The UK will work together with the USA and the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark to get Ukraine the combat air capability it needs. We stand united".This exposes the cynicism of this revolting line-up: Zelenskyy has been asking for jets since the war began. Now he is told he'll get them. But all the military experts say that it might take months or even years for Ukrainians to learn how to fly them. And the big guns fail to say when, how, or how many jets will be delivered. Not because they don't want to supply them, but because they're committed to dragging this war on and on. It suits their warmongering rearmament agenda.

    What is certain, is that American defence contractor, Lockheed Martin, which makes the F-16 fighter jet - and its rich and getting-richer-by-the-day shareholders - are rubbing their hands in anticipation of new orders...

    Along with a shared policy over fighter jets, the G7 have decided on a shared policy over China - after (falsely) accusing its leaders of beating the war drum over Taiwan. Which had given them another reason, of course, to build war ships! But whether they believe their own anti-China rhetoric or not, they're all invested in this industrial "workshop of the world", and profits come first. So they will now "de-risk" (as they call it!) their economic relations...

    That said, the richest countries always make sure to back up their exploitation of the rest of the world with their "fire-power". This has been their policy since Britain's gunboat plunder of China by way of the "Opium Wars" starting in 1839. So too, today.

    The war in eastern Europe may be just another chapter in imperialist world history. But as the capitalist system degenerates further, it nevertheless retains its potential to destroy humanity.

    This makes the task of the world's working classes all the more urgent. It is only by overthrowing the rule of the rich and powerful - imperialist capital - that there will ever be lasting peace on this earth.