President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is scheduled to appear in person at the Group of 7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, this weekend, several officials said, making an audacious trip halfway across the world as he tries to win commitments for continued arms and aid from the world’s wealthiest democracies, New York Times reported.
The officials did not say when Mr. Zelensky would arrive, hoping to keep details of his travels vague for security reasons. But the leaders gathered in Hiroshima — who include President Biden and his counterparts from Japan, Canada, Britain, France, Germany and Italy — will be talking over the next three days about all dimensions of Russia’s war in Ukraine. That is likely to include discussions about sanctions enforcement, over whether to provide F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv, and about the possibility of negotiations over an armistice or peace treaty.
So far, there have been no public announcements about Mr. Zelensky’s plans, and the Ukrainian news media has suggested that he will join the summit virtually. But in the past week, he has visited Britain and other European nations, and his willingness to travel outside Kyiv is intended in part to demonstrate that he has confidence in the stability of his own government. There have been no known efforts by the Russians to interfere with his travels.
If Mr. Zelensky arrives in Hiroshima, he will almost certainly have a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Biden. The leaders of India, Brazil and other nations that have been reluctant to support Ukraine are also at the meeting as observers, and Mr. Zelensky’s presence could make it more difficult for them continue that stance, several officials said, according to the American newspaper on Friday.
MNA