G7 Summit | Zelensky multiplies meetings, Beijing called to put pressure on Moscow

(Hiroshima) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky chained bilateral meetings on his arrival Saturday at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where the leaders also called on China to “pressurize Russia so that it ceases its aggression” against Ukraine.

Mr. Zelensky, who landed in Hiroshima at the start of the afternoon on board a plane from the French Republic, immediately estimated on Twitter that peace would be “closer” following this summit, after having stalled the day before the American green light for a future delivery of American F-16 fighter planes, which it had long demanded from its Western allies.

The Ukrainian president is trying to widen the circle of support for his country invaded 15 months ago by Moscow: upon his arrival at the G7, he met British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the head of the Italian government Giorgia Meloni, then the first Indian Minister Narendra Modi, whose country has so far refused to condemn Russian aggression in Ukraine.

His presence in Hiroshima “can be a game-changer” for Kyiv, French President Emmanuel Macron said of Mr. Zelensky, before a meeting between the two heads of state, because it is a “unique opportunity” for him to d exchange not only with all its supporters at the G7, but also to try to rally other countries invited to the summit, such as India and Brazil.

Mr. Modi has already assured Mr. Zelensky that India will do “everything possible” to settle the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

Mr. Zelensky is also due to meet with US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

The Ukrainian leader arrived from Saudi Arabia, where he pleaded Ukraine’s cause at the Arab League summit on Friday to “certain” countries that he says are “turning a blind eye” to the conflict.

In Hiroshima, a city devastated by an American atomic bomb in 1945, the leaders of the G7 also called on China on Saturday to “put pressure on Russia to cease its aggression” against Ukraine and “withdraw immediately, completely and without condition its troops”, while Beijing remains a close ally of Moscow and has never condemned the Russian invasion.

“Historic” decision

Washington had let it be known on Friday that Mr. Biden, overcoming his reluctance, was ready to authorize other countries to supply Kyiv with the fighter jets he is asking for, American-made F-16s. A “historic” decision, welcomed Mr. Zelensky.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan also confirmed that the United States now supports a joint initiative by its allies to train Ukrainian pilots. During these long months of training, Westerners will decide on the schedule for the delivery of planes, their number and the countries that will provide them.

The United Kingdom said it was ready to work with its allies to “bring Ukraine the air combat capability it needs”, and Emmanuel Macron also said he was ready on Monday to provide Ukrainian pilots with training, the outlines of which still need to be clarified.

While his country is preparing a major counter-offensive against Moscow, Volodymyr Zelensky has just returned from a tour of Europe where he had again requested these fighters.

But so far, the West, led by the United States, has resisted these demands, citing the risk of escalating the conflict, and claiming that this is not a priority.

Mr. Sullivan assured that the American doctrine had “not changed”. The delivery of weapons “followed the requirements of the conflict”, he pleaded, believing that the F-16s were part of the equipment that Kyiv will need “in the future” to “be able to deter and to defend against any Russian aggression”.

China, another dominant of the G7

Leaders of the Hiroshima summit also reaffirmed on Saturday their “opposition” to any Chinese “militarization” in the Asia-Pacific, assuring that there is “no legal basis” for the country’s “expansive maritime claims” at sea. from South China.

However, they assured that they wanted “constructive and stable” relations with Beijing and underlined “the importance of frank dialogue” with the Asian giant.

On Taiwan, they reiterated their call for a “peaceful resolution” of disputes with China, which considers this island as one of its provinces.

This declaration is the result of negotiations between countries such as the United States, who take a firmer stand against the backdrop of growing tensions with China, and others on the European side, who insist on avoiding any climate of “confrontation “.

The G7 countries (United States, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Canada) want to diversify their supply chains to be less dependent on Beijing in particular. They raised their voices against any attempt at “economic coercion”, targeting China without, however, naming it.