The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky It arrived at G7 Hiroshima in Japan. And he prepares for meetings and comparisons the day after having collected the US green light for the delivery of F16 by the European allies. It is the second day of the summit which will also be extended to include India, Brazil, Australia, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam and the Comoros as the rotating president of the African Union. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, on the other hand, will anticipate her return to Italy due to the flood emergency in Emilia Romagna. Meloni met with French President Emmanuel Macron, after the tensions between France and Italy in recent weeks. But the focus is still entirely on the Ukrainian president, the protagonist of an exceptional diplomatic tour, which started from the European capitals, passed through Jeddah and the meetings at the Arab League summit and has now landed in Japan.
G7 Hiroshima: Zelensky is in Japan, Modi and Lula are also there
"Japan. G7. Important meetings with partners and friends of Ukraine. Strengthened security and cooperation for our victory. Today peace will become closer”: this is how Zelensky tweeted as he arrived at the G7 Hiroshima in Japan.
The Ukrainian president collects important successes and will participate, says an official note from the Japanese Foreign Ministry, in a session on Ukraine with the leaders of the G7 on May 21, the last day of the summit. Not only that, the ministry adds that the Ukrainian president "will also participate as a guest in the session on peace and stability with the heads of state and government of the G7 and the leaders of the invited countries". On this occasion, the note concludes, a bilateral meeting will also be held in Hiroshima between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Zelensky himself. In short, an enormous diplomatic effort that is bringing important successes to the Ukrainian leader, who will have the opportunity to meet Indian Modi and Brazilian Lula in the plenary session, two countries that have not aligned themselves with the West and that on the war Russia -Ukraine have so far supported China and kept the doors open to Russia. The Brazilian delegation confirmed the possible Lula-Zelensky meeting.
But the most important success for Zelensky at the moment is the green light obtained on the F16s.
G7 Hiroshima: US green light for F16s in Ukraine
Joe Biden announced Friday morning that he will not oppose the delivery of fighter jets by European allies, adding that the US will also assist in the training of the Kiev military responsible for using them. And the confirmation from the US diplomatic staff arrived yesterday evening, after a day marked by hard work G7 communiqué about the war in Ukraine and the announced decision of new sanctions on Russia.
"The F-16s are not needed for the next Ukrainian counteroffensive, but to put Kiev in a position to defend itself and prevent further aggression in the future". Thus the American national security adviser Jake Sullivan explained the decision to give the green light to the delivery of fighters by the European allies, helping the training of pilots. Ukraine has been asking for the release of the F16 for some time to support the defense of the territories occupied by Russia and European pressure has managed to make inroads on the USA. Holland, Belgium, Denmark and Norway have over 125 that they are replacing with F35s and could deliver them quickly. Great Britain has already decided to train Ukrainian pilots and now the US has also said it is ready to do so.
G7 Hiroshima: the focus is on China
The G7 called on China to "press Russia to stop its military aggression". At the same time, the G7 opposed what it called China's willingness to "militarise" Asia and the Pacific. But in today's summit the position of the big names on China will be central and aid to Ukraine sounds like a clear warning to Beijing on the Taiwan affair.
