Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Japan on Saturday to attend a G7 summit where leaders called on China to “pressure Russia to end its aggression against Ukraine.”
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Mr. Zelenskyy, who landed in Hiroshima earlier in the afternoon aboard a plane from the French Republic, immediately estimated on Twitter that peace would be “closer” after this summit, having spent a while the day before the American green light The future delivery of American F-16 fighter jets, which he had been demanding for a long time, had come to a standstill.
Japan. G7. Important meetings with partners and friends of Ukraine. Security and increased cooperation for our victory. Peace will come closer today.
— Volodimir Zelensky (@ZelenskyyUa) May 20, 2023
The Ukrainian leader is trying to expand the circle of support for the country Moscow invaded fifteen months ago: at the G7 summit he will be able to meet the leaders of the seven most industrialized democracies, who are already his allies, but also others non-aligned host countries such as Brazil and India.
He came from Saudi Arabia, where he championed the cause of Ukraine at the Arab League summit on Friday, in front of “certain” countries that he says are “turning a blind eye to the conflict.”
In Hiroshima, which was destroyed by an American atomic bomb in 1945, leaders on Saturday called on China to “pressure Russia to stop its aggression against Ukraine” and “to withdraw its troops immediately, completely and unconditionally” while Beijing remains a close ally of Moscow and has never condemned the Russian invasion.
In particular, the Ukrainian president has to meet with his American counterpart Joe Biden in the Japanese city to discuss the practical implementation of the American decision to authorize future deliveries of fighter jets to Kiev.
Bilateral meetings are also planned with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Washington said on Friday that Mr Biden had overcome his reluctance and said he was ready to allow other countries to supply Kiev with American-made F-16 fighter jets he wanted. A “historic” decision, welcomed the Ukrainian President.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also confirmed that the United States is now supporting a joint initiative by its allies to train Ukrainian pilots. During these long months of training, Westerners will decide the schedule for the delivery of the planes, their numbers, and the countries that will provide them.
The UK said it was ready to work with its allies to “give Ukraine the air combat capability it needs” and Emmanuel Macron also said on Monday he was ready to train Ukrainian pilots, the outline of which has yet to be worked out .
While his country is preparing a major counter-offensive against Moscow, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just returned from a trip to Europe where he once again requested these fighters.
So far, however, the West, led by the US, has resisted these demands on the grounds that there is a risk of the conflict escalating and that this is not a priority.
Mr. Sullivan asserted that American doctrine “has not changed.” The delivery of the weapons “met the needs of the conflict,” he pleaded, believing that the F-16s are part of the equipment Kiev will need “in the future” to “deter and defend against any Russian aggression.” . .
Hiroshima summit leaders on Saturday also reiterated their “objection” to any Chinese “militarization” in the Asia-Pacific region and asserted that there was “no legal basis” for the country’s “expansive maritime claims” at sea from southern China.
However, they assured that they wanted “constructive and stable” relations with Beijing and stressed “the importance of an open dialogue” with the Asian giant.
Regarding Taiwan, they reiterated their call for a “peaceful settlement” of disputes with China, which considers the island one of its provinces.
This declaration is the result of negotiations between countries like the United States, which is taking a more decisive stance against the background of growing tensions with China, and others on the European side, who insist on avoiding any climate of “confrontation”.
The G7 countries (USA, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, UK, Canada) want to diversify their supply chains, in particular to become less dependent on Beijing. They raised their voices against any attempt at “economic coercion” directed at China, but did not name it.