The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has launched a flurry of diplomacy with international leaders in Japan, shifting the focus of the Group of 7 summit firmly towards finding ways to end Russia’s 15-month war in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy’s unexpected trip to Hiroshima on Saturday night, which came after reports that he would only participate virtually, immediately elevated the G7’s efforts to stifle Russia’s economy to the top of a busy agenda that has covered topics like China’s rise and the quick development of artificial intelligence.
Shortly after touching down in Japan in a French aircraft, fresh on the heels of whistlestop visits to Europe and Saudi Arabia, Zelenskyy said the summit would be an opportunity for “enhanced cooperation for our victory”.
‘Peace will become closer today,’ he said on his official Twitter account.
French President Emmanuel Macron late on Saturday hailed Zelenskyy’s attendance at the summit as a potential ‘game changer’.
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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, United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Macron.
The Ukrainian leader’s talks with Modi held particular significance as the Indian leader is among a number of non-G7 leaders attending the summit that have been hesitant to join the pressure campaign against Moscow.
Modi has not directly condemned Russia’s invasion and his country has ramped up imports of Russian oil, coal and gas since the outbreak of the war in February 2022, helping blunt the impact of sanctions on Russia’s economy, which contracted by a less-than-expected 2.1 percent last year.
While the meeting between Zelenskyy and Modi did not seem to produce an immediate shift in New Delhi’s stance, the talks appeared to be cordial and productive.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the host of the G7 this year, has expanded the gathering’s guest list as he seeks the support of developing and middle-power countries to tackle global challenges, including the conflict in Ukraine.
Kishida has adopted by far the region’s strongest stance against Russia, casting the conflict as a violation of the international rules-based order that upholds the peace and security of all countries, including his own.