Zelenskyy goes on diplomatic blitz to tighten screws on Russia

Hiroshima, Japan- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has embarked on a flurry of diplomacy with international leaders in Japan, with the Group of Seven summit’s focus firmly on efforts to end Russia’s 15-month war in Ukraine .

Zelenskyy’s surprise visit to Hiroshima on Saturday evening, following previous reports that he would be online-only, immediately put the G7’s efforts to choke the Russian economy at the top of a busy agenda that touched on issues ranging from the rise of China to the rapid advance of artificial intelligence.

Shortly after landing in Japan on a French plane, just after whistleblower visits to Europe and Saudi Arabia, Zelenskyy said the summit would be an opportunity for “closer cooperation for our victory”.

“Peace will come closer today,” he said on his official Twitter account.

French President Emmanuel Macron late on Saturday hailed Zelenskyy’s presence at the summit as a potential “game changer”.

Within hours of his arrival in Hiroshima, Zelenskyy, who is seeking tougher sanctions against Russia and further aid and weapons for Ukraine, held bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Macron.

The Ukrainian leader’s talks with Modi were of particular interest as the Indian leader is one of the non-G7 leaders who attended the summit and was hesitant to join the pressure campaign against Moscow.

Modi has not directly condemned the Russian invasion and his country has increased imports of Russian oil, coal and gas since the outbreak of war in February 2022, mitigating the impact of the sanctions on the Russian economy, which contracted less than expected. toned. Last year 2.1 percent.

While the meeting between Zelenskyy and Modi did not seem to lead to an immediate change in New Delhi’s position, the talks appeared to be cordial and productive.

Zelenskyy thanked Modi for “supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country”, while his Indian counterpart pledged to “do everything we can” to resolve the crisis in Ukraine.

Still, Zelenskyy may struggle to convince leaders of the South such as Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has said there is now “no point” in blaming the conflict, to take a more forceful stance to take against Moscow.

“India’s position on the war in Ukraine is supported by popular sentiment in India,” Archana Upadhyay, a professor at the Center for Russian and Central Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, told Al Jazeera.

“The Western stories have few buyers here.”

Upadhyay said that while it should be everyone’s responsibility to get all stakeholders to the negotiating table, Russia “has been shunned or is likely to be shunned”.

“The reasons for the war are far more complex than what the West is willing to admit,” she said.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the host of this year’s G7, has expanded the gathering’s guest list as he seeks the support of developing countries and middle powers to tackle global challenges, including the conflict in Ukraine.

Kishida has taken by far the region’s strongest stance against Russia, describing the conflict as a violation of the international rules-based order that maintains the peace and security of all countries, including his own.

The Japanese leader, leading Tokyo to undertake its largest military buildup since World War II, has repeatedly linked Ukraine’s plight to the fate of Taiwan, which China claims the right to “reunite” with mainland China, also by force if necessary.

While the G7 is still influential, its share of the global economy has fallen from about 70 percent in the 1980s to 44 percent today — meaning its ability to tighten Russia’s screws is limited without buy-in from the wider international community.

On Sunday, the last day of the summit, Zelenskyy will join G7 leaders and non-members, including India, Indonesia and Brazil, for talks on peace and global stability.

Zelenskyy is also expected to hold more bilateral talks with world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and Kishida.