Ukraine’s Zelenskyy to attend G7 in Hiroshima to pressure Russia
The presence of the Ukrainian president is likely to strengthen the G7 and NATO in their decision to continue supplying arms.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will personally attend the Group of Seven summit in Japan as the club of rich democracies seeks to step up pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy’s presence at the G7 leaders’ summit in Hiroshima is an unexpected development after the Japanese government previously told local media that the Ukrainian leader would only attend Sunday’s talks via video link.
Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, confirmed on national television on Friday that Zelenskyy will attend the summit.
“We were sure that our president would be there where Ukraine needed him, anywhere in the world, to solve our country’s stability issue,” said Danilov. “Very important matters will be decided there, so physical presence is crucial to defend our interests.”
Ukraine’s presidential office said it had told Japan’s Kyodo News a day earlier that Zelenskyy’s presence had not been ruled out, but would depend on the “situation on the battlefield”.
John Blaxland, a professor of international security and intelligence studies at the Australian National University, said Zelenskyy’s physical presence would bolster efforts to pressure Russia.
“I think it speaks to Zelenskyy’s charisma, Kishida’s enthusiasm and the importance of strengthening the G7 and the broader NATO determination to continue supplying weapons, especially with the expected increase in Ukrainian operations,” Blaxland told reporters. Al Jazeera.
“Zelenskyy will also be looking to meet with his South Korean and Australian counterparts – to push for additional Korean military supplies and for Australia to supply more Bushmasters and Hawkei protected mobility vehicles. He will also be happy to insist on the availability of the F-16 fighter jet.”
In Japan, the G7 — the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy, along with the European Union — are trying to form a united front as they weigh new punitive measures to punish Moscow for its proxies. large-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its 450th day.
G7 leaders are expected to announce new coordinated measures targeting the Russian economy, although there are reportedly divisions among members over how far sanctions should go.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly called on the international community to increase its support for Kiev and take stronger action to punish Moscow for invading his country. Last week he toured Berlin, Paris and London, where he secured new arms pledges.
On Friday, a senior official in US President Joe Biden’s administration said Washington will roll out 300 new sanctions against 70 Russian entities and place more countries on a US blacklist.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also announced that the UK will ban imports of Russian diamonds, copper, aluminum and nickel and sanction 86 people and companies associated with Russian President Vladimir Putin.