Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived Saturday in Japan for talks with the leaders of the world鈥檚 most powerful democracies, a personal appearance meant to galvanize global attention as the nations ratcheted up pressure on Moscow for its 15-month invasion of Ukraine.
Bolstering international support is a key priority as Ukraine prepares for what鈥檚 seen as a major push to take back territory seized by Russia in the war that began in February last year. Zelenskyy鈥檚 in-person visit to the G7 summit comes just hours after the United States agreed to allow training on , laying the groundwork for their eventual transfer to Ukraine.
Host nation Japan said Zelenskyy鈥檚 inclusion stems from his 鈥渟trong wish鈥� to participate in talks with the bloc and other countries that will influence his nation鈥檚 defense against Russia.
鈥淛apan. G7. Important meetings with partners and friends of Ukraine. Security and enhanced cooperation for our victory. Peace will become closer today,鈥� Zelenskyy tweeted upon his arrival on a plane provided by France.
A European Union official, speaking on condition of anonymity to brief reporters on the deliberations, said Zelenskyy will take part in two separate sessions Sunday. One session will be with G7 members only and will focus on the war in Ukraine. Another will include the G7 as well as the other nations invited to take part in the summit, and will focus on 鈥減eace and stability.鈥�
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that President Joe Biden and Zelenskyy would have direct engagement at the summit. On Friday, Biden announced his support for training Ukrainian pilots on U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, a precursor to eventually providing those aircraft to Ukraine.
鈥淚t is necessary to improve (Ukraine鈥檚) air defense capabilities, including the training of our pilots,鈥� Zelenskyy wrote on his official Telegram channel after meeting Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, one of a number of leaders he talked to.
Zelenskyy also met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, their first face-to-face talks since the war, and briefed him on Ukraine鈥檚 peace plan, which calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the country before any negotiations.
Russia鈥檚 deputy defense minister, Alexander Grushko, accused Western countries of 鈥渃ontinuing along the path of escalation,鈥� following the announcements that raised the possibility of sending F-16s to Kyiv.
The G7 vowed to intensify the pressure in its joint statement Saturday.
鈥淩ussia鈥檚 brutal war of aggression represents a threat to the whole world in breach of fundamental norms, rules and principles of the international community. We reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine for as long as it takes to bring a comprehensive, just and lasting peace,鈥� the group said.
G7 leaders have faced a balancing act as they look to address a raft of global worries demanding urgent attention, including climate change, AI, poverty and economic instability, nuclear proliferation and, above all, the war in Ukraine.
, sits at the nexus of many of those concerns.
There is increasing anxiety that Beijing, which has been steadily building up its nuclear weapons program, could try to seize Taiwan by force, sparking a wider conflict. China claims the self-governing island as its own and regularly sends ships and warplanes near it.
The G7 on Saturday and were seeking 鈥渃onstructive and stable relations鈥� with Beijing, 鈥渞ecognizing the importance of engaging candidly with and expressing our concerns directly to China.鈥�
They also urged China to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine and 鈥渟upport a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.鈥�
North Korea, which has been testing missiles at a torrid pace, must completely abandon its nuclear bomb ambitions, 鈥渋ncluding any further nuclear tests or launches that use ballistic missile technology,鈥� the leaders鈥� statement said.
The green light on F-16 training is the latest shift by the Biden administration as it moves to arm Ukraine with more advanced and lethal weaponry, following earlier decisions to send rocket launcher systems and Abrams tanks. The United States has insisted that it is sending weapons to Ukraine to defend itself and has discouraged attacks by Ukraine into Russian territory.
鈥淲e鈥檝e reached a moment where it is time to look down the road again to say what is Ukraine going to need as part of a future force, to be able to deter and defend against Russian aggression as we go forward,鈥� Sullivan said.
Biden鈥檚 decisions on when, how many, and who will provide the fourth-generation F-16 fighter jets will be made in the months ahead while the training is underway, Biden told leaders.
The G7 leaders have rolled out a on Moscow as well as plans to enhance the effectiveness of existing financial penalties meant to constrain President Vladimir Putin鈥檚 war effort. Russia is now the most-sanctioned country in the world, but there are questions about the effectiveness.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida separately held one-on-one talks with leaders, including Modi, who is hosting the gathering of G20 world leaders later this year.
India, the world鈥檚 largest democracy, has been measured in its comments on the war in Ukraine, and has avoided outright condemnation of Russia鈥檚 invasion. While India maintains close ties with the U.S. and its Western allies, it is also a major buyer of Russian arms and oil.
The latest sanctions aimed at Russia include tighter restrictions on already-sanctioned people and firms involved in the war effort. More than 125 individuals and organizations across 20 countries have been hit with U.S. sanctions.
The leaders began the summit with a visit to a peace park dedicated to the tens of thousands who died in the world鈥檚 first wartime atomic bomb detonation. Kishida, who represents Hiroshima in parliament, wants nuclear disarmament to be a major focus of discussions.
The G7 leaders also discussed efforts to strengthen the global economy and address rising prices that are squeezing families and government budgets around the world, particularly in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The group reiterated its aim to pull together up to $600 billion in financing for the G7鈥檚 global infrastructure development initiative, which is meant to offer countries an alternative to China鈥檚 investment dollars.
Biden, who after his stay in Japan so that he can get back to debt limit talks in Washington, is also , made up of Japan, Australia, India and the United States.
The G7 includes Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and Italy, as well as the European Union.
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Foster Klug, Adam Schreck And Josh Boak, The Associated Press
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