38th G8 summit
The 38th G8 summit took place May 18–19, 2012 at Camp David in Maryland, United States. It was moved from Chicago to Camp David just before the NATO summit, apparently to avoid a large protest crowd.
Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attend; Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev went in his place, amid tensions between Russia and the West. This was the first G8 summit since Russia joined in 1997 that Putin did not attend.
The leaders included six other G8 members plus the European Union. It was the first G8 gathering for French President François Hollande, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, and it was Medvedev’s last summit as Russia’s leader.
Protests near Camp David were small and peaceful. The summit focused on the euro area crisis and Greece’s debt, global hunger and food security, and energy markets. Other major topics included Iran and North Korea’s nuclear plans, Syria, and Burma’s political transition.
The leaders issued a declaration urging steps to boost growth and stabilize the eurozone, while promoting fiscal responsibility. They also announced a New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition with African partners to help lift millions out of poverty.
As of 2025, this remains the most recent G7 summit hosted by the United States; the 2020 gathering was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:09 (CET).